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https://archive.org/details/priyadarsikasansOOhars 


KING  HARSHA’S  AUTOGRAPH  ON  THE  BANSKHERA  PLATE 
(From  Epigr aphia  Indica  4.  210.  Sec  Introduction  to  the  present  volume,  page  xliii.) 

[Reproduced  by  courtesy  ot  the  Grolier  Society,  New  York.l 


PRIYADARSIKA 

A  SANSKRIT  DRAMA  BY  KING  HARSHA 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 

INDOI  RANI  AN  SERIES 


EDITED  BY 

A.  V.  WILLIAMS  JACKSON 

PROFESSOR  OF  INDO-IRANIAN  LANGUAGES 
IN  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


Volume  ®tn 


NEW  YORK 

Columbia  UJnfoersitp  JDreSS 

1923 

All  rights  reserved 


■ 


PRIYADARSIK 

A  SANSKRIT  DRAMA 


BY 

HARSHA 

KING  OF  NORTHERN  INDIA  IN  THE  SEVENTH  CENTURY  A.D. 


TRANSLATED  INTO  ENGLISH 
BY 

G.  K.  NARIMAN 

HON.  SECRETARY  OF  THE  K.  R.  CAMA  ORIENTAL  INSTITUTE,  BOMBAY 

A.  Y.  WILLIAMS  JACKSON,  Ph.D.,  L.H.D.,  LL.D. 

PROFESSOR  IN  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 
AND 

CHARLES  J.  OGDEN,  Ph.D. 

CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY  OF  THE  AMERICAN  ORIENTAL  SOCIETY 


WITH 

AN  INTRODUCTION  AND  NOTES 
BY  THE  TWO  LATTER 

TOGETHER  WITH  THE  TEXT  IN  TRANSLITERATION 


NEW  YORK 

Columbia  flUntoertfttp 

1923 

All  rights  reserved 


An  announcement  of  volumes  of  this  series 
previously  published,  and  of  the  volume  in 
preparation,  will  be  found  at  the  end  of  this  book. 


Copyright,  1923,  by 
Columbia  University  Press 


Set  up  and  electrotyped 
Published  December ,  1923 


LANCASTER  PRESS.  INC. 
LANCASTER.  PA. 


TO 

THE  DEAN  OF  AMERICAN  SANSKRITISTS 

CHARLES  ROCKWELL  LANMAN 

PROFESSOR  IN  HARVARD  UNIVERSITY 


/ 


NOTE  FOR  LIBRARIANS  AND  BIBLIOGRAPHERS 


The  present  volume  contains  the  text  and  English  translation  of 
a  Hindu  drama  composed  in  Sanskrit  and  Prakrit  by  Harsha  (in 
more  strictly  scientific  transliteration  Harsa),  who  reigned  as  king 
in  Northern  India  from  606  to  647  A.D.  Harsha  was  the  author 
also  of  two  other  dramas,  the  Ratnavali  and  the  Nagananda,  as 
well  as  of  a  number  of  stanzas  that  have  been  preserved  (see  pages 
xxxix-xlix,  below). 

His  name  is  found  likewise  in  the  fuller  forms  Harsha-deva  and 
Harsha-vardhana,  and,  with  the  customary  honorific  prefix  sri,  as 
Sri-Harsha  and  §rI-Harsha-deva.  This  monarch  was  further  des¬ 
ignated,  especially  in  Buddhist  texts,  as  Siladitya. 

This  Harsha  is  not  to  be  confused  with  the  later  Harsha,  more 
properly  Sriharsha,  author  of  the  epic  poem  Naishadhiya-carita 
and  of  a  philosophical  work  entitled  Khandana-khanda-khadya. 

The  Library  of  Congress  issues  printed  catalogue  cards  pre¬ 
pared  according  to  rules  that  embody  the  best  standard  of  modern 
library  practice.  The  cards  for  this  book  bear  the  serial  number 
23-26791.  Complete  sets  of  these  cards  may  be  obtained  at  a 
nominal  price  upon  application  to  *  The  Library  of  Congress — 
Card  Division,  Washington,  D.  C.’  To  those  not  in  a  position  to 
make  use  of  these  printed  cards,  the  suggestion  is  offered  that  the 
present  volume  may  be  most  helpfully  recorded  in  library  cata¬ 
logues  under  the  following  entries : 

Harsha  [or  Harshadeva],  king  (606-647)  of  Thane sar  [as  author] 
Jackson,  Abraham  Valentine  Williams,  1862-  [as  joint  translator] 
Nariman,  Gushtaspshah  Kaikhushro  [as  joint  translator] 

Ogden,  Charles  Jones,  1880-  [as  joint  translator] 

Columbia  University  Indo-Iranian  Series  [as  series  entry] 

Jackson,  Abraham  Valentine  Williams,  1862-  [as  editor] 

Sanskrit  drama.  See  also  Harsha,  king  (606-647)  of  Thanesar  [as 
subject  cross-reference,  if  desired] 

Sanskrit  literature — Translations  into  English.  See  also  Harsha, 
king  (606-647)  of  Thanesar  [as  subject  cross-reference,  if  de¬ 
sired] 

Priyadarsika,  etc.  [as  title  entry,  if  desired] 


vi 


PREFACE 


The  drama  Priyadarsika,  written  in  Sanskrit  and  Prakrit  by 
Harsha  (Harsha-deva,  Harsha-vardhana),  King  of  Northern  India 
in  the  seventh  century  of  our  era,  has  been  chosen  for  translation 
into  English  for  the  first  time,  because  of  the  interest  of  its  plot 
and  because  it  has  previously  received  less  attention  than  the  other 
plays  by  the  same  author,  the  Ratnavali  and  the  Nagananda. 

The  basis  of  the  translation  was  a  preliminary  version  sub¬ 
mitted  a  number  of  years  ago  by  my  Par  si  friend  Gushtaspshah 
Kaikhushro  Nariman,  of  Bombay,  who  sent  it  to  me  in  a  tentative 
form  for  later  revision  and  editing  before  its  inclusion  in  the 
Columbia  University  Indo-Iranian  Series.  This  led  me  to  take 
up  the  Priyadarsika  with  my  classes  at  Columbia,  and  I  have  read 
the  drama  several  times  with  them,  writing  out  also  a  translation 
of  my  own.  My  pupil  Dr.  George  C.  O.  Haas  likewise  prepared 
a  translation  in  manuscript,  which  has  been  of  special  service. 
Dr.  Ogden,  another  of  my  students,  then  joined  with  me  in  re¬ 
peatedly  working  through  the  drama.  The  present  translation  is 
therefore  in  a  way  composite,  but  owing  to  Mr.  Nariman’s  resi¬ 
dence  in  India  it  was  not  possible  to  confer  with  him  regarding 
the  numerous  problems  involved. 

The  rendering  has  been  made  fairly  literal  throughout,  and  the 
text  has  been  reproduced  in  transliteration  on  the  pages  opposite, 
in  order  to  aid  students  in  rapid  reading ;  there  was  no  occasion  to 
give  the  Sanskrit  in  the  original  Nagarl  characters  because  no 
new  edition  of  the  text  from  manuscripts  was  contemplated.  The 
Sanskrit  text  which  has  been  taken  as  a  basis  is  that  in  the  edition 
of  R.  V.  Krishnamachariar,  Srirangam,  1906,  although  the  text 
as  printed  by  Vishnu  Daji  Gadre,  Bombay,  1884,  has  also  been 
consulted  throughout,  as  indicated  in  Part  8  of  the  Introduction 
(see  p.  xciii)  and  in  the  Notes.  The  method  followed  with  regard 
to  the  Prakrit  forms  is  explained  on  pages  xciv-xcv.  As  noted 
on  the  title-page,  the  Introduction  and  Notes  are  the  work  of  Dr. 


VI 1 


Vlll 


PREFACE 


Ogden  and  myself  alone;  they  have  purposely  been  made  rather 
full,  for  the  benefit  of  students  reading  a  Sanskrit  drama  for  the 
first  time,  and  for  the  sake  of  embodying  information  that  may  be 
useful  for  the  general  study  of  Harsha  as  a  dramatist. 

It  is  with  particular  pleasure  that  grateful  acknowledgments  are 
here  made  to  Dr.  George  C.  O.  Haas  for  his  invaluable  help  in 
every  way  during  the  years  in  which  the  work  has  been  in  progress 
and  while  the  volume  was  passing  through  the  press.  He  has, 
moreover,  contributed  the  account  of  the  meters  of  the  stanzas 
which  constitutes  Part  9  of  the  Introduction,  and  has  prepared  the 
Bibliography.  Thanks  are  due  to  Dr.  G.  Payn  Quackenbos,  In¬ 
structor  in  Latin  in  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York,  who 
was  at  one  time  a  student  in  my  Department,  for  collecting  the 
material  relating  to  trees,  flowers,  and  shrubs  which  is  included  as 
Part  10  of  the  Introduction.  It  is  a  pleasure  also  to  acknowledge 
the  courtesy  of  Dr.  E.  W.  Burlingame  in  placing  at  our  disposal 
certain  advance  sheets  of  his  Buddhist  Legends  (Harvard  Oriental 
Series,  vols.  28-30)  and  in  supplying  information  from  other 
Buddhist  texts  not  readily  accessible. 

The  Grolier  Society  of  New  York  and  London  have  most  kindly 
allowed  me  to  reproduce  from  the  History  of  India  which  I  edited 
for  them  the  facsimile  of  Harsha’s  signature  included  as  frontis¬ 
piece,  and  have  also  furnished  the  electrotype.  The  courtesy  of 
the  Oxford  University  Press  in  granting  permission  to  insert  (on 
p.  xxxi)  the  map  of  India  in  Harsha’s  time,  from  Vincent  Smith’s 
Oxford  History  of  India,  is  likewise  heartily  appreciated. 

To  these  ready  helpers  thanks  are  cordially  expressed.  But  to 
another  a  special  debt  of  gratitude  is  due — to  my  friend  Alexander 
Smith  Cochran,  whose  continued  interest  in  the  Columbia  Uni¬ 
versity  Indo-Iranian  Series  has  rendered  possible  the  publication 
of  this  latest  volume  in  the  set. 

A.  V.  Williams  Jackson, 

Editor. 


Columbia  University, 
July  3,  1923. 


CONTENTS 


Note  for  Librarians  and  Bibliographers .  vi 

Preface  .  vii 

Abbreviations  and  Symbols .  xiii 

Bibliography  .  xv 

A.  Manuscripts  .  xv 

B.  Editions  of  the  Text  .  xvi 

C.  Translation  .  xvi 

D.  General  Bibliography .  xvii 

B.  Special  Bibliographical  List  on  the  Problem  of 

the  Authorship  of  the  Drama .  xxi 

Conspectus  of  Editions  referred  to .  xxiv 

Introduction .  xxvii 

1.  Life  and  Times  of  Harsha,  or  Sri-Harsha- 

vardhana  .  xxvii 

Introduction :  Harsha’s  reign  an  epoch  in  the 

history  of  Early  India .  xxvii 

Summary  of  history  down  to  Harsha’s  time. .  xxvii 

Harsha’s  father  and  elder  brother  as  kings. . .  xxviii 

Harsha  becomes  king  (606  A.  D.) .  xxix 

First  six  years  of  warfare .  xxix 

Succeeding  years .  xxx 

Some  other  events  and  features  of  Harsha’s 

reign  .  xxxii 

The  grand  assemblies  at  Kanauj  and  Prayag.  xxxiii 

Death  of  Harsha.  . .  xxxiv 

Estimate  of  Harsha .  xxxiv 

2.  King  Harsha  as  Author  and  Literary  Patron.  .  xxxv 

A.  Royal  Authors  and  Patrons  in  India .  xxxv 

Introduction .  xxxv 

Poet-kings  of  Ancient  and  Early  India .  xxxv 

King  Sudraka  and  authorship .  xxxvi 

King  Harsha  and  later  Sanskrit  poet-kings.,  xxxvii 


IX 


X 


CONTENTS 


Other  parallels  connected  with  India:  Tamer¬ 
lane,  Babar,  Jahangir .  xxxix 

B.  Harsha’s  Claims  to  Authorship .  xxxix 

On  Harsha’s  direct  claims  as  a  literary  mon¬ 
arch  .  xxxix 

Bana’s  allusions  to  Harsha  as  a  poet .  xxxix 

Other  direct  allusions  to  Harsha  as  a  royal 

author  .  xli 

Royal  grants  by  Harsha .  xliii 

Occasional  stanzas  attributed  to  Harsha  in 

the  Sanskrit  anthologies. . .  xliv 

Two  poems  of  Buddhistic  content  bearing 

Harsha’s  name .  xliv 

Assured  internal  evidence  of  the  three  dramas 

in  support  of  Harsha’s  authorship .  xlv 

Disposal  of  doubts  as  to  Harsha’s  authorship 

of  the  dramas .  xlvi 

Conclusion  as  to  authorship .  xlviii 

The  literary  coterie  at  Harsha’s  court .  xlix 

3.  Plot  of  the  Drama  Priyadarsika .  1 

Act  One .  1 

Act  Two .  li 

Act  Three .  Hi 

Act  Four .  lii 

4.  Time  Allusions  and  Duration  of  the  Action.  .  liv 

Plot  of  the  play  in  brief .  liv 

General  observations .  liv 

Analysis  in  detail .  lvi 

Summary  of  the  duration  of  the  action .  lxi 

5.  Sources  of  the  Play,  and  the  Legend  of  Udayana  lxii 

Importance  of  the  legend  for  the  Priya¬ 
darsika  .  lxii 

Udayana  as  a  historical  personage .  lxiii 

Possible  origin  of  the  legend .  lxiv 

Literary  sources  for  the  legend .  lxv 

The  narrative  of  the  Kathasaritsagara .  lxvii 


CONTENTS 


xi 


The  Brhatkathamanjarl . 

Incidental  references  in  the  Brhatkatha-sloka- 

samgraha  . 

The  testimony  of  Bhasa’s  plays . 

Jain  accounts  of  the  legend . 

Employment  of  the  legend  in  Harsha’s  plays 

Characters  from  the  legend . 

Incidents  derived  from  the  legend . 

Additional  note  on  the  site  of  Kausambl.  .. . 

6.  Relation  between  the  Priyadarsika  and  the  other 

Dramas  of  Harsha . 

Introduction . 

General  unity  of  the  three  dramas . 

A.  Parallels  between  Priyadarsika  and  Ratnavali 

Plot  of  the  Ratnavali  in  brief . 

Characters  common  to  both  Priyadarsika  and 

Ratnavali  . . . 

Parallel  situations . 

Parallels  in  minor  details  of  thought  and 
style . 

B.  Parallels  between  Priyadarsika  and  Naga- 

nanda  (including  two  between  Ratnavali 

and  Nagananda) . 

Plot  of  the  Nagananda  in  brief . 

Repeated  stanzas . 

Similarities  in  minor  details . 

Two  parallels  between  Ratnavali  and  Naga¬ 
nanda  . 

C.  Order  of  Composition  of  the  Dramas . 

7.  Resemblances  in  the  Priyadarsika  to  Kalidasa’s 

Dramas,  and  its  Position  in  Sanskrit  Litera¬ 
ture  . 

Introduction . 

Priyadarsika  and  Malavikagnimitra . 

Priyadarsika  and  VikramorvasI . 

Priyadarsika  and  Sakuntala . 


lxx 

lxx 

Ixxi 

lxxii 

lxxiii 

lxxfiii 

lxxiv 

lxxvi 

lxxvii 

lxxvii 

lxxvii 

lxxvii 

lxxviii 

lxxviii 

lxxix 

lxxx 

lxxxiii 

lxxxiv 

lxxxv 

lxxxv 

lxxxvi 

lxxxvii 

lxxxvi  i 
lxxxvii 
lxxxviii 
lxxxviii 
lxxxix 


Xll 


CONTENTS 


Harsha’s  possible  acquaintance  with  the 

dramas  of  Bhasa .  xc 

Harsha’s  position  in  Sanskrit  literature .  xc 

Merits  of  the  Priyadarsika  in  general .  xci 

8.  Language  and  Style  of  the  Play,  and  Constitu¬ 

tion  of  the  Present  Text .  xci 

Languages  used  in  the  play .  xci 

Characteristics  of  the  style .  xcii 

Constitution  of  the  present  text .  xciii 

Treatment  of  the  Prakrit  forms .  xciv 

9.  Meters  of  the  Stanzas  in  the  Play .  xcvi 

Number  and  variety  of  the  stanzas .  xcvi 

Description  of  the  meters  employed .  xcvi 

List  of  the  meters  in  order  of  occurrence.  . . .  xcviii 

10.  Flowers,  Trees,  and  Shrubs  mentioned  in  the 

Play .  xcix 

Introduction  .  xcix 

Floral  terms  (in  Sanskrit  alphabetical  order)  c 

Appendix:  Notes  on  the  Use  of  a  Play  within  a  Play 

on  the  Sanskrit  Stage .  cv 

Dramatis  Personae .  2 

Priyadarsika,  Text  and  Translation .  4 

Act  One .  4 

Act  Two .  20 

Act  Three .  38 

Act  Four .  70 

Notes .  97 

Act  One .  97 

Act  Two .  108 

Act  Three .  114 

Act  Four . 126 

List  of  Works  in  the  Columbia  University  Indo- 

Iranian  Series .  133 


ABBREVIATIONS  AND  SYMBOLS 


ad  loc. 
AJP. 

B. 

c. 

ch. 

com. 

DR. 

ed. 

Ep.  Ind. 
fasc. 

G. 

GGA. 

IA. 

ibid. 

id. 

Ind.  Spr. 

JAOS. 

JRAS. 

K. 

K.  Com. 

KP. 

Malav. 

MBh. 

Mdh. 

n. 

Nagan. 

n.d. 

n.s. 


( ad  locum)  ;  with  reference  to  this  passage. 

American  Journal  of  Philology. 

Banskhera  Plate  of  Harsha. 

circa;  about. 

chapter. 

commentary. 

Dasarupa,  by  Dhanamjaya. 
edition;  edited  by. 

Epigraphia  Indica. 
fasciculus;  fascicle. 

Vishnu  DajI  Gadre;  text  of  Priya.  edited  by  Gadre. 
Gottingische  Gelehrte  Anzeigen. 

Indian  Antiquary. 

{ibidem)  ;  in  the  same  work. 

{idem)  ;  the  same  author. 

Indische  Spriiche,  by  O.  Bohtlingk,  2d  edition,  3  vols., 
St.  Petersburg,  1870-1873. 

Journal  of  the  American  Oriental  Society. 

Journal  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society. 
Krishnamachariar ;  text  of  Priya.  edited  by  Krishna- 
machariar. 

the  Skt.  commentary  in  the  edition  of  Krishnama¬ 
chariar. 

Kavyaprakasa,  by  Mammata  (and  Alata). 
Malavikagnimitra,  by  Kalidasa. 

Mahabharata. 

Madhuban  Plate  of  Harsha. 
note. 

Nagananda. 
no  date, 
new  series. 


Xlll 


ABBREVIATIONS  AND  SYMBOLS 


xiv 

op.  cit. 
pi. 

Priya. 

PWb. 

q.v. 

Ratn. 

SBE. 

SD. 

sec. 

Skm. 

Skt. 

st. 

s.v. 

tar. 

tr. 

V. 

Vikram. 

WZKM. 

ZDMG. 


( opus  citatum )  ;  the  work  previously  cited, 
plate. 

Priyadarsika. 

( Petersburg  Worterbuch) ;  the  great  Skt.  Diet,  by 
Bohtlingk  and  Roth. 

( quod  vide )  ;  which  see. 

Ratnavali. 

Sacred  Books  of  the  East. 

Sahityadarpana,  by  Visvanatha  Kaviraja. 
section. 

Saduktikarnamrta,  by  Srldharadasa. 

Sanskrit. 

stanza. 

( sub  voce )  ;  under  the  word  .  .  . 
taranga,  i.e.  chapter  of  the  Kathasaritsagara. 
translation;  translated  by. 

Jibananda  Vidyasagara;  text  of  Priya.  published  by 
Vidyasagara. 

VikramorvasI,  by  Kalidasa. 

Wiener  Zeitschrift  fiir  die  Kunde  des  Morgenlandes. 
Zeitschrift  der  Deutschen  M orgenlandischen  Gesell- 
schaft. 


<>,  «»,  «<»>  indicate  single,  double,  or  triple  slesa,  or  paronomasia; 
see  note  43  on  Act  1,  page  102,  below. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

A.  MANUSCRIPTS 


The  following  manuscripts  of  the  Priyadarsika  have  thus  far 
been  recorded  in  catalogues  of  manuscripts  and  elsewhere  (cf. 
Aufrecht,  Catalogus  Catalogorum,  i.  364;  2.  82;  3.  78,  Leipzig, 
1891-1903)  : — 

Rajendralala  Mitra,  Notices  of  Sanskrit  MSS.,  vol.  3,  Calcutta, 
1876.  Pages  132-133,  no.  1179.  [1  manuscript.] 

A.  C.  Burnell,  A  Classified  Index  to  the  Sanskrit  MSS.  in  the 
Palace  at  Tanjore,  London,  1880.  Page  169,  col.  2.  [5 

manuscripts.] 

Gustav  Oppert,  Lists  of  Sanskrit  Manuscripts  in  Private  Libraries 
of  Southern  India,  2  vols.,  Madras,  1880-1885.  Vol.  1,  nos. 
1501,  2643,  343°.  5746,  6058;  vol.  2,  nos.  830,  5964,  9061. 
[8  manuscripts.] 

Lewis  Rice,  Catalogue  of  Sanskrit  Manuscripts  in  Mysore  and 
Coorg,  Bangalore,  1884.  Page  258,  nos.  2398  and  2399.  [2 

manuscripts.] 

E.  Hultzsch,  Reports  on  Sanskrit  Manuscripts  in  Southern  India, 

parts  1-3,  Madras,  1895-1905.  Part  1,  no.  267a;  part  2,  no. 
945;  part  3,  no.  1609  (2  copies).  [4  manuscripts.] 

Theodor  Aufrecht,  Catalogus  Catalogorum,  vol.  3,  Leipzig,  1903. 
Page  78,  manuscript  in  the  Burnell  Collection,  India  Office. 
[1  manuscript.] 

In  addition  to  these  21  manuscripts  there  was  a  4  very  old  MS./ 
since  declared  to  be  lost,  which  served  as  a  basis  for  Vidyasagara’s 
edition  of  the  text;  and  an  old  manuscript  used  by  Krishnama- 
chariar  in  addition  to  those  in  the  Tanjore  Palace  Library  may 
possibly  be  one  that  is  not  included  in  the  above  catalogues.  The 
3  manuscripts  from  the  Tanjore  Palace  Library  that  were  the  basis 
of  the  edition  of  Gadre  are  doubtless  included  in  Burnell’s  list. 
See  the  notes  on  these  editions,  below. 


XV 


XVI 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


B.  EDITIONS  OF  THE  TEXT 

Priyadarsika.  [Without  place  or  date;  about  1870.]  56  pages. 

Priyadarshika :  A  Drama  in  Four  Acts,  by  Sri  Harsha.  Edited 
with  notes  by  Pandit  Jibananda  Vidyasagara.  Calcutta,  1874. 
61  pages.1 

This  edition  was  based  on  one  very  old  manuscript,  which  Vidyasa¬ 
gara  later  claimed  to  have  lost;  see  Gadre,  preface,  p.  2,  note. 

Priyadarsana  by  Harshadeva,  with  the  Commentary  of  Nivasa 
Jagannatha  Svamin.  Vizagapatam,  1880.  102  pages.  [In 

Telugu  characters.] 

This  edition  was  not  available  for  use  in  the  preparation  of  the 
present  volume. 

The  Priyadarsika  of  Sriharshadeva.  Edited  with  Notes  and 
Prakrita  Chhaya  by  Vishnu  Daji  Gadre.  Bombay,  1884. 
7  +  56  +  32  pages. 

Gadre  based  his  edition  on  3  manuscripts  from  the  Palace  Library 
at  Tanjore  (doubtless  included  in  Burnell's  list;  see  above);  cf.  his 
preface,  page  5. 

Priyadarsika,  with  a  Commentary  and  Bhumika  by  Pandit  R.  V. 

Krishnamachariar.  Srirangam,  1906.  iv  +  xlviii  +  97  pages. 

(Sri  Vani  Vilas  Sanskrit  Series,  no.  3.) 

In  the  preparation  of  this  edition  Krishnamachariar  used  the  Tan¬ 
jore  Palace  manuscripts  and  one  other  old  one;  see  his  preface,  page  1. 

C.  TRANSLATION 

Priyadarsika,  piece  attribute  au  roi  Sriharchadeva,  en  quatre  actes, 
precedes  d’un  prologue  et  d’une  introduction.  Traduite  par 
G.  Strehly.  Paris,  1888.  88  pages.  (Bibliotheque  Orientale 
Elzevirienne,  no.  58.) 

1  Schuyler,  in  the  preliminary  bibliography  of  the  plays  of  Harsha  pub¬ 
lished  in  the  Verhandlungen  des  xiii.  Internationalen  Orient  alisten-Kon- 
gresses  (see  below),  listed  a  second  edition  of  this  text,  Calcutta,  1876, 
124  pages.  This  was,  however,  an  error  for  the  text  of  the  Ratnaval!  pub¬ 
lished  by  Vidyasagara  in  that  year,  and  the  entry  was  accordingly  omitted 
in  Schuyler’s  Bibliography  of  the  Sanskrit  Drama. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


XVII 


D.  GENERAL  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Apte,  Vaman  Shivram.  The  Practical  Sanskrit- English  Dic¬ 
tionary.  Poona,  1890. 

This  must  be  distinguished  from  the  Student's  Sanskrit -English  Dic¬ 
tionary  by  the  same  author,  also  published  at  Poona  in  the  same  year. 

Bana.  Harsacarita,  ed.  A.  A.  Fiihrer.  Bombay,  1909. 

Bana.  Harsacarita,  ed.  K.  P.  Parab  and  S.  D.  P.  Vaze.  Bom- 
bay,  1892. 

Bana.  Harsacarita,  tr.  E.  B.  Cowell  and  F.  W.  Thomas.  Lon- 
don,  1897.  (Oriental  Translation  Fund,  new  series,  vol.  8 
[wrongly  numbered  2].) 

Beal,  S.  Si-yu-ki.  See  Hsuan-Chuang. 

Bohtlingk,  Otto  von.  Indische  Spriiche.  2d  ed.,  3  vols.,  St. 
Petersburg,  1870-1873. 

Burlingame,  E.  W.  Buddhist  Legends.  3  vols.,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  1921.  (Harvard  Oriental  Series,  vols.  28-30.) 

Cimmino,  Francesco.  II  terzo  atto  del  dramma  indiano  Priya- 
dargika.  In  Atti  dell’  Accademia  Pontaniana,  31.  1-18, 
Naples,  1902. 

Cimmino,  Francesco.  Sui  Drammi  attribuiti  ad  Harshadeva. 
Naples,  1906.  15  pages. 

Cimmino,  Francesco.  II  Tipo  comico  del  “  vidushaka  ”  nell’ 
antico  dramma  indiano.  In  Atti  della  Rcale  Accademia  di 
Archeologia,  Lettere  e  Belle  Arti  ( di  Napoli),  16,  part  2,  pp. 
97-142. 

Cimmino,  Francesco.  L’Uso  delle  didascalie  nel  dramma  in¬ 
diano.  Naples,  1912.  75  pages.  [Extract  from  Memorie 

della  R.  Accademia  di  Archeologia ,  Lettere  e  Belle  Arti  ( di 
Napoli),  2  (1911),  pp.  131-205.] 

Coomaraswamy,  A.  K.,  and  G.  K.  Duggirala.  The  Mirror  of 
Gesture,  being  the  Abhinayadarpana  of  Nandikesvara,  trans¬ 
lated.  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1917. 

Ettinghausen,  Maurice  L.  Harsa-Vardhana,  empereur  et  poete 
de  l’lnde  septentrionale.  Louvain,  1906. 

An  exhaustive  monograph  on  the  subject. 


2 


XV111 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


Gray,  Louis  H.  Vasavadatta,  a  Sanskrit  Romance  by  Su- 
bandhu.  New  York,  1913.  (Columbia  University  Indo- 
Iranian  Series,  vol.  8.) 

Haas,  George  C.  O.  The  Dasarupa,  a  Treatise  on  Hindu 
Dramaturgy  by  Dhanamjaya.  New  York,  1912.  (Columbia 
University  Indo-Iranian  Series,  vol.  7.) 

Hiuen-Tsang.  See  Hsuan-Chuang. 

Hopkins,  E.  Washburn.  Epic  Mythology.  Strassburg,  1915. 
(Grundriss  der  Indo-Arischen  Philologie  und  Altertumskunde, 
vol.  3,  part  1  B.) 

Hsuan-Chuang.  Si-yu-ki,  Buddhist  Records  of  the  Western 
World,  tr.  S.  Beal.  2  vols.,  London,  1906. 

This  is  a  re-issue  of  the  original  publication  in  Triibner’s  Oriental 

Series,  2  vols.,  London,  1884,  a  reprint  of  which  was  published  at 

Boston  in  1885. 

Hsuan-Chuang.  Life  of  Hiuen-Tsiang  [Hsuan-Chuang]  by 
the  Shaman  Hwui  Li,  tr.  S.  Beal.  New  ed.,  London,  1911. 

Hsuan-Chuang.  See  also  Watters,  Thomas,  below. 

Huizinga,  J.  De  Vidusaka  in  het  indisch  Tooneel.  Groningen, 
1897. 

I-Ch'ing  [I-Tsing].  A  Record  of  the  Buddhist  Religion  in 
India  and  the  Malay  Archipelago,  tr.  J.  Takakusu.  Oxford, 
1896. 

There  are  references  to  Harsha  on  pages  163-164. 

Jackson,  A.  V.  Williams.  Certain  Dramatic  Elements  in  San¬ 
skrit  Plays,  with  Parallels  in  the  English  Drama.  First  Series. 
In  AJP.  19  (1898),  pp.  241-254. 

Pages  242-247,  on  the  employment  of  a  play  within  a  play,  are  re¬ 
printed  in  this  volume  as  Appendix  to  the  Introduction,  below. 

Jackson,  A.  V.  Williams.  Disguising  on  the  Stage  as  a  Dra¬ 
matic  Device  in  Sanskrit  Plays.  In  Transactions  and  Pro¬ 
ceedings  of  the  American  Philological  Association,  29  (1898), 
pp.  xviii-xix. 

Jackson,  A.  V.  Williams.  Time  Analysis  of  Sanskrit  Plays. 


GENERAL  BIBLIOGRAPHY 


xix 


Second  Series:  The  Dramas  of  Harsha.  In  JAOS.  21 
(1900),  pp.  88-108. 

The  portion  relating  to  the  Priyadarsika  is  reprinted,  with  minor 
changes,  in  the  present  volume,  as  part  4  of  the  Introduction. 

Kavlndravacanasamuccaya.  See  Thomas,  F.  W.,  below . 
Konow,  Sten.  Das  indische  Drama.  Berlin,  1920.  (Grund- 
riss  der  Indo-Arischen  Philologie  und  Altertumskunde,  vol. 
2,  part  2D.) 

Harsha  and  his  plays  are  discussed  on  pages  73-77. — This  valuable 
work  was  not  received  until  the  present  volume  was  nearly  completed, 
but  reference  to  Konow’s  pages  could  fortunately  be  included  in  the 
course  of  the  final  revision. 

Lacote,  Felix.  Essai  sur  Gunadhya  et  la  Brhatkatha.  Paris, 
1908. 

Levi,  Sylvain.  Le  Theatre  indien.  Paris,  1890. 

This  standard  work  has  been  referred  to  throughout. 

Levi,  Sylvain.  Une  Poesie  inconnue  du  Roi  Harsa  Qiladitya. 
In  Actes  du  dixieme  congres  international  des  orientalistes 
( 1894 ),  part  2,  sec.  1,  pp.  189-203,  Leiden,  1897. 

Moor,  Edward.  The  Hindu  Pantheon.  New  ed.,  Madras, 
1864. 

* 

Narayana  Sastrf,  T.  S.  Sriharsha  the  Dramatist.  [Disserta¬ 
tion.]  Madras,  [1902]. 

Expounds  the  bizarre  theory  that  the  plays  were  composed  by 
Dhavaka  =  Bhasa ;  see  the  Special  Bibliographical  List  on  Authorship, 
below. 

Pannikar,  K.  M.  Sri  Harsha  of  Kanauj :  a  monograph  of  the 
history  of  India  in  the  first  half  of  the  7th  century  A.D. 
Bombay,  1922. 

This  work  was  not  available  for  consultation  during  the  preparation 
of  the  present  volume. 

Pischel,  Richard.  Adhyaraja.  In  Nachricliten  der  kgl.  Gesell- 
schaft  der  Wissenschaften  zu  Gottingen,  Phil.-hist.  Klasse, 
1901,  pp.  485-487  (=  reprint,  pp.  1-3),  Gottingen,  1902. 
Pischel,  Richard.  Grammatik  der  Prakrit-Sprachen.  Strass- 


XX 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


burg,  1900.  (Grundriss  der  Indo-Arischen  Philologie  und 
Altertumskunde,  vol.  1,  part  8.) 

Quackenbos,  G.  Payn.  The  Sanskrit  Poems  of  Mayura,  .  .  . 
with  Bana’s  Candlsataka.  New  York,  1917.  (Columbia 
University  Indo-Iranian  Series,  vol.  9.) 

Schuyler,  Montgomery,  Jr.  A  Bibliography  of  the  Plays  at¬ 
tributed  to  Harsadeva.2  In  Verhandlungen  des  xiii.  Interna- 
tionalen  Orientalisten-Kongr esses  (1902),  Leiden,  1904,  pp. 

33“37- 

Schuyler,  Montgomery,  Jr.  A  Bibliography  of  the  Sanskrit 
Drama.  New  York,  1906.  (Columbia  University  Indo- 
Iranian  Series,  vol.  3.) 

Schuyler,  Montgomery,  Jr.  The  Origin  of  the  Vidusaka,  and 
the  Employment  of  this  Character  in  the  Plays  of  Harsadeva. 
In  JAOS.  20  (1899),  pp.  338-340. 

Smith,  Vincent  A.  Early  History  of  India!.  3d  ed.,  Oxford, 
1914. 

The  reign  of  Harsha  is  treated  on  pp.  335-359. 

Smith,  Vincent  A.  Oxford  History  of  India.  Oxford,  1919. 

The  reign  of  Harsha  is  treated  on  pages  165-171. 

Speijer,  J.  S.  Sanskrit  Syntax.  Leiden,  1886. 

Thomas,  F.  W.  Kavindravacanasamuccaya,  a  Sanskrit  An¬ 
thology  of  Verses,  ed.  with  Introduction  and  Notes.  Calcutta, 
1912.  (Bibliotheca  Indica,  new  series,  no.  1309.) 

Anthology  citations  from  Harsha  on  pages  1 17-120  (introd.). 

Wackernagel,  Jakob.  Altindische  Grammatik.  Vol.  1  and  vol. 
2,  part  1,  Gottingen,  1896,  1905. 

Warren,  S.  J.  Koning  Harsha  van  Kanyakubja.  The  Hague, 
1883.  8  pages.  [Extract  from  Bijdragen  tot  de  Tool-,  Land-, 

en  Volkenkunde  van  Neerlandsch-Indie.] 

Watters,  Thomas.  On  Yuan  Chwang’s  Travels  in  India  629- 

2  This  preliminary  bibliography  erroneously  mentions  a  non-existent  second 

edition  of  Vidyasagara’s  text  of  Priya. ;  see  the  footnote  in  connection  with 

Vidyasagara’s  edition  of  the  text  in  section  B,  above. 


SPECIAL  LIST  ON  AUTHORSHIP  OF  THE  DRAMA  xxi 


645  A.D.  2  vols.,  London,  1904-1905.  (Oriental  Transla¬ 
tion  Fund,  new  series,  vols.  14-15.) 

Whitney,  W.  D.  A  Sanskrit  Grammar.  3d  ed.,  Leipzig  & 
Boston,  1896. 

Wilson,  H.  H.  Select  Specimens  of  the  Theatre  of  the  Hin¬ 
dus.  3d  ed.,  2  vols.,  London,  1871. 

A  translation  of  the  Ratnavall  is  included  in  vol.  2,  pages  255-319. 

Winternitz,  M.  Geschichte  der  indischen  Litteratur.  Vol.  3, 
Leipzig,  [1922]. 


E.  SPECIAL  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  LIST  ON  THE  PROBLEM  OF 
THE  AUTHORSHIP  OF  THE  DRAMA 

1835  Wilson,  H.  H.,  Select  Specimens  of  the  Theatre  of  the  Hindus,  2d 
ed.,  vol.  2,  pp.  259,  346 :  ascribes  Ratn.  to  King  Harsha  of  Kashmir, 
12th  cent. ;  mentions  the  Dhavaka  tradition  with  approval. 

1859  Hall,  F.,  Vasavadatia,  introduction,  pp.  15-17,  51  f. :  criticizes  Wil¬ 
son’s  date  for  Harsha;  authority  of  the  KP.  commentaries  not 
great;  considers  Bana’s  claim  to  authorship  of  Ratn.  as  good  as 
Dhavaka’ s ;  the  Ratn.  stanza  dvipad  anyasmad  etc.  occurs  also  in 
Harsacarita,  ch.  5. 

1862  Hall,  F.,  Journ.  As.  Soc.  Bengal,  31.  11-13:  notes  the  identical  stanza, 
sn-Harso  nipunah  kavih,  in  Ratn.  and  Nagan.,  and  qualifies  his 
previous  statement  as  to  Bana’s  authorship. 

1865  Hall,  F.,  The  Dasa-Rupa,  preface,  p.  36  n. :  makes  an  allusion  to 
Priya.  which  is  probably  the  earliest  reference  made  to  that  play  by 
a  Western  scholar. 

1868  Weber,  A.,  Indische  Streifen,  1.  356-357 :  in  differing  from  Hall’s 
conclusions,  does  not  think  that  the  occurrence  of  the  same  stanza 
{dvipad  etc.)  in  Ratn.  and  Harsacarita  proves  the  identity  of  au¬ 
thorship  of  these  two  works. 

1872  Cowell,  E.  B.,  in  his  preface  to  Boyd’s  Nagananda,  pp.  5-12 :  reviews 
Wilson’s  and  Hall’s  opinions ;  thinks  the  religious  tone,  etc.,  shows 
Ratn.  and  Nagan.  to  be  by  different  authors ;  inclines  to  Bana  as 
author  of  Ratn.,  accepting  Dhavaka  as  presumably  the  author  of 
Nagan. 

1872  Weber,  A.,  Literarisches  Centralblatt,  1872,  col.  614:  in  reviewing 

Cowell  and  Boyd’s  Nagananda,  he  rejects  the  view  that  Bana  is  the 
author  of  Ratn.  and  Dhavaka  the  author  of  Nagan.;  Harsha’s  con¬ 
nection  with  the  dramas  should  be  tentatively  adhered  to. 

1873  Buhler,  G.,  I  A.  2.  127-128:  adds  Nrsimha  Thakkura’s  commentary 

on  KP.  to  the  other  scholiasts  who  mention  Dhavaka,  but  regards 


XXI 1 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


the  statement  as  not  carrying  much  weight;  quotes  Madhusudana’s 
com.  on  the  Suryasataka,  which  names  Harsha  as  a  poet  and  author 
of  Ratn.  (see  Introduction  to  the  present  volume,  pages  xlii-xliii). 

1875  Buhler,  G.,  (letter,  dated  1874)  in  Weber,  Indische  Studien,  14.  407: 
states  that  all  Kashmir  Mss.  read  ‘  Bana  ’  instead  of  ‘  Dhavaka  ’ 
(see  Introduction  to  the  present  volume,  p.  xlviii)  ;  ‘Bana’  looks 
like  *  Dhavaka  ’  in  Sarada  script. 

1878  Weber,  A.,  History  of  Indian  Literature  (Eng.  tr.  from  the  2d  Ger¬ 

man  ed.  of  1875),  P-  204  n-  212,  p.  207  n.  218:  approves  Hall's  and 
Biihler’s  attribution  of  Ratn.  to  Bana.  [Weber’s  1st  ed.,  Berlin, 
1852,  does  not  refer  to  the  Harsha  plays.] 

1879  Weber,  A.,  Indische  Streifen,  3.  106:  [reprint  of  the  review  of  Cowell 

and  Boyd’s  Ndgananda ;  see  1872,  above.] 

1882  Windisch,  E.,  ‘  Der  griechische  Einfluss  im  indischen  Drama,’  in 

Verhandlungcn  des  5.  internat.  Orientalisten-Kongresses  (1881), 
part  2,  2,  pp.  93-98:  alludes  (p.  95)  to  the  problem  of  authorship, 
and  surmises  that  the  plays  were  produced  at  Ujjayini  during  the 
King’s  absence. 

1883  Pischel,  R.,  GGA.  39.  1235-1241  (reviewing  Fritze’s  Kausika’s 

Zorn )  :  believes  Dhavaka  to  be  a  historic  person ;  mention  of  a  poet 
Dhava  (cf.  Weber,  in  Monatsberichte  d.  Berl.  Akad.  1879,  p.  469, 
for  other  Dhavas)  ;  regards  the  three  plays  as  by  one  and  the  same 
author,  not  Bana;  contends  that  the  identity  of  the  stanza  ( dvlpad 
etc.)  in  Ratn.  and  Harsacarita  does  not  prove  Bana’s  authorship; 
the  Dhavaka  tradition  of  the  scholiasts  is  not  to  be  rejected; 
Dhavaka  was  probably  a  contemporary  of  Bana,  and  his  verses  in 
anthologies  pass  under  the  name  of  Harsha. 

1883  Warren,  S.  J.,  Koning  Harsha  van  Kanyakubja  (see  Bibliography, 
above)  ;  argues  that  all  three  dramas  are  by  Harsha;  the  dvlpad 
stanza  in  the  Harsacarita  was  probably  copied  by  Bana  as  a  compli¬ 
ment  to  Harsha. 

1883  Glaser,  K.,  ‘  tjber  Bana’s  Parvatlparinayanataka,’  in  Sitzungsb.  d. 
kais.  Akad.  d.  IViss.  zu  Wien ,  Phil.-hist.  Klasse,  104.  575-664: 
seems  to  favor  (p.  615)  the  attribution  of  Ratn.  to  Bana. 

1886  Peterson,  P.,  Subhasitavali,  introd.,  p.  138,  s.v.  ‘Harsadeva’:  ob¬ 
serves  that  the  quotations  are  chiefly  from  Ratn.  and  Nagan.,  and 
thinks  that  Plarsha’s  authorship  is  not  excluded. 

1890  Levi,  S.,  Le  Theatre  indien,  pp.  184-196:  seems  to  accept  Harsha  as 
author  of  the  plays,  and  regards  the  KP.  tradition  of  Bana  as 
proving  nothing;  yet  in  part  2,  appendix,  p.  42,  he  speaks  of  the 
plays  incidentally  as  ‘  les  drames  de  Harsa,  dont  le  veritable  auteur 
ne  sera  peut-etre  jamais  connu.’ 

1893  Brahme  and  Paranjape,  Nagananda,  Poona,  introd.,  pp.  vi-x:  reject 
the  attribution  of  Ratn.  to  Bana ;  the  dvlpad  stanza  does  not  occur 
in  the  printed  editions  of  the  Harsacarita ;  Bana  had  an  independent 


SPECIAL  LIST  ON  AUTHORSHIP  OF  THE  DRAMA  xxm 


fortune  (  Harsacarita,  ch.  i)  ;  the  style  of  his  acknowledged  works 
differs  from  that  of  the  dramas.  These  editors,  while  inclining  to 
the  view  (p.  vi)  that  Harsha  ‘  seems  to  have  bought  the  honour  of 
its  authorship  [i.e.  that  of  Nagan.  as  well  as  of  Ratn.]  from 
Dhavaka/  and  (p.  ix)  that  ‘  Dhavaka  sold  all  his  works  to  others 
for  money/  nevertheless  allow  (p.  ix)  that  ‘  it  is  not  quite  impos¬ 
sible  that  Sriharsha  might  have  written  the  play  [Priya.  as  well  as 
Nagan.  and  Ratn.]/ 

1900  Macdonell,  A.  A.,  A  History  of  Sanskrit  Literature,  p.  362:  thinks 

Ratn.  is  possibly  by  Bana,  and  Nagan.  may  have  been  written  by 
Dhavaka.  (No  mention  is  made  of  Priya.) 

1901  Pischel,  R.,  Adhyardja  (see  Bibliography,  above)  :  proves  that  Bana’s 

address  to  Adhyaraja  refers  to  Harshadeva  (see  Introduction  to  the 
present  volume,  pp.  xxxix-xl). 

1902  Narayana  Sastri,  T.  S.,  Sriharsha  the  Dramatist,  Madras :  presents 

the  bizarre  theory  that  Sri  Harsha  =  Vikramaditya  was  prior  to 
Kalidasa,  and  that  the  plays  were  written  by  Dhavaka  =  Bhasa ! 
[Criticized  by  Ettinghausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  pp.  1 00-102  n.  3; 
summarized  with  doubts  by  M.  Krishnamacharya,  History  of  Classi¬ 
cal  Sanskrit  Literature,  pp.  83-85,  Madras,  1906;  and  especially  con¬ 
troverted  by  R.  V.  Krishnamachariar  in  his  edition  of  Priya.,  Sri- 
rangam,  1906.] 

1903  Cimmino,  F.,  Nagdnanda,  introd.,  pp.  7-22:  reviews  the  arguments  as 

to  authorship  and  decides  tentatively  for  Harsha. 

1903  Oldenberg,  H.,  Die  Literatur  des  alten  Indien,  p.  197 :  ‘  In  einem  der 

Dramen,  die  dieser  Konig  [Harsha]  verfasste  oder  wohl  richtiger 
von  einem  Hofpoeten  verfassen  liess,  um  ihnen  dann  seinen  Namen 
zu  geben/ 

1904  Henry,  V.,  Les  Literatures  de  I’Inde,  pp.  295,  313:  accepts  Harsha’s 

authorship  without  question. 

1906  Krishnamacharya,  M.,  History  of  Classical  Sanskrit  Literature , 
Madras,  pp.  83-85:  summarizes,  with  doubts,  the  views  of  Narayana 
Sastri  (see  above,  1902). 

1906  Krishnamachariar,  R.  V.,  Priyadarsika,  Srirangam,  1906,  in  the 
Sanskrit  bhumikd,  pp.  i-xxi :  accepts  Harsha’s  authorship  and  sup¬ 
ports  it  in  detail  (as  stated  also  in  the  Eng.  preface  by  T.  K.  Bala- 
subrahmanyam,  p.  ii). 

1906  Ettinghausen,  M.  L.,  Harsa-Vardhana,  pp.  98-102:  reviews  the  main 
arguments  and  concludes  (p.  102):  ‘La  paternite  de  Harsa  est 
garantie.’ 

1920  Konow,  S.,  Das  indische  Drama,  pp.  73-74:  in  a  clear  and  concise 
summary  he  concludes  that  Harsha’s  claim  to  authorship  of  the 
three  plays  is  to  be  accepted  and  that  the  remarks  of  the  KP.  com¬ 
mentators  are  due  to  misunderstanding  of  Mammata’s  own  words. 
1922  Winternitz,  M.,  Geschichte  der  indischen  Litteratur,  vol.  3,  Leipzig, 
[1922],  page  226  n.  3 :  thinks  there  is  no  adequate  reason  for  denying 
Harsha’s  authorship  of  the  plays. 


CONSPECTUS  OF  EDITIONS  REFERRED  TO 


The  following  list  specifies  the  editions  and  translations  of  Sanskrit 

texts  to  which  the  citations  in  the  Introduction  and  the  Notes  refer. 

The  order  of  arrangement  is  that  of  the  Sanskrit  alphabet. 

Abhinayadarpana,  by  Nandikesvara.  Tr.  A.  K.  Coomara- 
swamy  and  G.  K.  Duggirala,  Mirror  of  Gesture,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  1917. 

Arthasastra  of  Canakya  (Kautilya).  Ed.  R.  Shama  Sastri,  2d 
ed.,  Mysore,  1919.  Tr.  R.  Shamasastry,  Bangalore,  1915. 

Uttararamacarita,  by  Bhavabhuti.  Ed.  P.  V.  Kane  and  tr.  C. 
N.  Joshi,  Bombay,  1915.  Tr.  S.  K.  Belvalkar,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  1915  (Harvard  Oriental  Series,  vol.  21). 

Kathasaritsagara,  by  Somadeva.  Ed.  Pandit  Durgaprasad  and 
K.  P.  Parab,  Bombay,  1889.  Tr.  C.  H.  Tawney,  2  vols.,  Cal¬ 
cutta,  1880-1884. 

KarpuramanjarT,  by  Rajasekhara.  Ed.  S.  Konow  and  tr.  C.  R. 
Lanman,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1901  (Harvard  Oriental  Series, 
vol.  4). 

Kavmdravacanasamuccaya.  Ed1.  F.  W.  Thomas,  Calcutta, 
1912  (Bibliotheca  Indica,  new  series,  no.  1309). 

Kadambari,  by  Bana.  Ed.  K.  P.  Parab,  Bombay,  1890.  Tr. 
C.  M.  Ridding,  London,  1896  (Oriental  Translation  Fund, 
vol.  7). 

Kavyaprakasa,  by  Mammata  (and  Alata).  Ed.  B.  V.  Jhalakl- 
kara,  2d  ed.,  Bombay,  1901.  Tr.  Ganganatha  Jha,  Benares, 
1898.  Ullasas  1  and  2,  ed.  and  tr.  D.  T.  Chandorkar,  Poona, 
1898.  Ullasa  10,  ed.  and  tr.  D.  T.  Chandorkar,  Poona,  1896. 

Dasarupa,  by  Dhanamjaya.  Ed.  and  tr.  George  C.  O.  Haas, 
New  York,  1912  (Columbia  University  Indo-Iranian  Series, 
vol.  7). 

Nagananda,  by  Harsa.  Ed.  G.  B.  Brahme  and  S.  M.  Paran- 
jape,  Poona,  1893.  Tr.  Palmer  Boyd,  London,  1872. 


XXIV 


CONSPECTUS  OF  EDITIONS  REFERRED  TO 


xxv 


Panini,  i.e.  Astadhyayi  by  Panini.  Ed.  and  tr.  Otto  Bohtlingk, 
P mini’s  Grammatik,  Leipzig,  1887. 

Pratijnayaugandharayana,  by  Bhasa.  Ed.  T.  Ganapati  Sastrl, 
Trivandrum,  1912  (Trivandrum  Skt.  Series,  no.  16). 

Prabodhacandrodaya,  by  Krsnamisra.  Ed.  H.  Brockhaus  (2 
vols.  in  1),  Leipzig,  1835-1845.  Ed.  Hrishikesh  Sastri,  Cal¬ 
cutta,  n.d. 

Balaramayana,  by  Rajasekhara.  Ed.  G.  D.  Sastri,  Benares, 
1869. 

Brhatkathamanjan,  by  Ksemendra.  Ed.  Pandit  Sivadatta  and 
K.  P.  Parab,  Bombay,  1901  (Kavyamala,  no.  69). 

Brhatkathaslokasamgraha,  by  Budhasvamin.  Ed.  and  tr.  F. 
Lacote,  Paris,  1908.  [Only  sargas  1-9  published.] 

Bharatiyanatyasastra,  by  Bharata.  Ed.  Pandit  Sivadatta  and 
K.  P.  Parab,  Bombay,  1894  (Kavyamala,  no.  42). 

Mahabharata,  Ed.  in  6  vols.  (oblong  folio),  Bombay,  1863. 
Eng.  tr.  published  by  P.  C.  Ray  (Roy),  Calcutta,  1883-1896. 

Malavikagnimitra,  by  Kalidasa.  Ed.  in  Sri  Vani  Vilas  San¬ 
skrit  Series,  Srirangam,  1908.  [The  name  of  the  editor  is 
not  given  on  the  title-page.] 

Mudraraksasa,  by  Visakhadatta.  Ed.  A.  Hillebrandt,  in  Indische 
Forschungen,  no.  4,  Breslau,  1912. 

Mrcchakatika,  by  £udraka.  Ed.  K.  P.  Parab,  Bombay,  1900. 
Tr.  Arthur  W.  Ryder,  The  Little  Clay  Cart ,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  1905  (Harvard  Oriental  Series,  vol.  9). 

Meghaduta,  by  Kalidasa.  Ed.  N.  B.  Godabole  and  K.  P. 
Parab,  2d  ed.,  Bombay,  1886. 

Raghuvamsa,  by  Kalidasa.  Ed.  G.  R.  Nandargikar,  3d  ed., 
Poona,  1897. 

Ratnavali,  by  Harsa.  Ed.  K.  P.  Parab  and  V.  S.  Josi,  Bom¬ 
bay,  1888.  Ed.  N.  B.  Godabole  and  K.  P.  Parab,  2d  ed., 
Bombay,  1890.  Ed.  K.  Joglekar,  Bombay,  1913.  Ed.  S.  C. 
Chakravarti,  2d  ed.,  Calcutta,  1919. 

Ramayana,  by  Valmlki.  Ed.  K.  P.  Parab,  2  vols.,  Bombay, 
1888. 


XXVI 


CONSPECTUS  OF  EDITIONS  REFERRED  TO 


Vikramorvasi,  by  Kalidasa.  Ed.  G.  Bh.  Vaidya,  Bombay,  1894. 

Viiddhasalabhanjika,  by  Rajasekhara.  Ed.  Bh.  R.  Arte,  Poona, 
1886.  Tr.  Louis  H.  Gray,  JAOS.  27.  1-71. 

Sakuntala  [Abhijnanasakuntala],  by  Kalidasa.  Ed.  R.  Pischel, 
Kiel,  1877  (new  ed.,  1886).  Ed.  and  tr.  S.  D.  and  A.  B. 
Gajendragadkar,  Bombay,  1920. 

Sarngadharapaddhati,  by  Sarrigadhara.  Ed.  P.  Peterson,  Bom¬ 
bay,  1888  (Bombay  Skt.  Series,  no.  37). 

Saduktikarnamrta,  by  Sridharadasa.  Ed.  Ramavatara  Sarma, 
fasc.  1,  Calcutta,  1912. 

Sahityadarpana,  by  Visvanatha  Kaviraja.  Ed.  E.  Roer,  Cal¬ 
cutta,  1851 ;  tr.  J.  R.  Ballantyne  and  P.  Mitra,  Calcutta,  1875 
(Bibliotheca  Indica).  Paricchedas  1,  2,  and  10,  ed.  P.  V. 
Kane,  Bombay,  1910. 

Svapnavasavadatta,  by  Bhasa.  Ed.  T.  Ganapati  Sastri,  2d  ed!., 
Trivandrum,  1915  (Trivandrum  Skt.  Series,  no.  15). 

Harsacarita,  by  Bana.  Ed.  K.  P.  Parab  and  S.  D.  P.  Vaze, 
Bombay,  1892.  Ed.  A.  A.  Fuhrer,  Bombay,  1909.  Tr.  E.  B. 
Cowell  and  F.  W.  Thomas,  London,  1897  (Oriental  Transla¬ 
tion  Fund,  new  series,  vol.  8  [wrongly  numbered  2]). 


INTRODUCTION 


LIFE  AND  TIMES  OF  HARSHA,  OR  SRI-HARSHA- 

VARDHANA 


(King  of  Northern  India,  A.D.  606-647) 

Introduction:  Harsha’s  reign  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Early 
India.  For  many  centuries  prior  to  Harsha’s  reign  India  had 
passed  through  stage  after  stage  of  political  and  national  events 
that  meant  change,  reconstruction,  florescence,  decadence,  as  rule 
followed  rule  and  empire  succeeded  empire.  The  aim  in  the  case 
of  each  constructive  power  was  the  same — to  bring  about  general 
political  unity  by  establishing  sovereign  sway  in  the  north,  and  if 
possible  by  exercising  control  also  over  the  south.  Harsha’s  rise 
to  power  in  the  seventh  century  a.d.  was  a  reaffirmation  of  the 
imperial  idea,  and  the  period  of  his  reign  formed  one  of  these 
great  epochs  in  India’s  early  history.1 

Summary  of  history  down  to  Harsha’s  time.  The  general 
course  of  India’s  history  during  the  centuries  that  preceded  the  rise 
of  Harsha  needs  only  to  be  recapitulated  in  the  briefest  way  from 

1  An  extensive  collection  of  material  for  a  monograph  on  Harsha,  in 
connection  with  the  dramas  ascribed  to  him,  was  presented  by  A.  V.  W.  J. 
at  a  meeting  of  the  American  Oriental  Society  in  April,  1904,  but  was 
withheld  at  the  time  for  expansion  and  for  publication  at  a  later  date. 
Such  use  of  the  material,  however,  became  unnecessary  two  years  later, 
owing  to  the  appearance  of  a  valuable  book  by  M.  L.  Ettinghausen, 
Harsa-Vardhana,  empereur  et  poete,  Louvain,  1906.  Among  other  impor¬ 
tant  contributions  on  the  subject  of  Harsha  since  that  date,  special  men¬ 
tion  may  be  made  of  the  chapter  in  V.  A.  Smith,  Early  History  of  India, 
3d  ed.,  pp.  335-359,  Oxford,  1914;  idem,  Oxford  History  of  India,  pp. 
165-171,  Oxford,  1919.  Full  advantage  has  naturally  been  taken  of  these 
admirable  contributions,  even  though  the  present  sketch  rests  in  large 
measure  upon  the  material  originally  gathered  for  the  monograph  that 
was  left  unpublished,  as  mentioned. 


xxvii 


XXV111 


INTRODUCTION— PART  ONE 


the  establishment  of  the  first  great  empire,  that  of  the  Mauryas, 
in  322  b.c.,  with  the  outstanding  figures  of  Candragupta  and 
Asoka  as  lords  paramount.  Amid  the  confusion  of  the  minor 
dynasties  in  the  succeeding  period  there  stand  out  the  eras  of  the 
Indo-Greek  and  Indo-Parthian  kings  on  the  northwestern  frontier, 
followed  by  the  Kushan,  or  Indo-Scythian,  invasions,  which  culmi¬ 
nated  in  Kanishka’s  sway  in  the  first  century  a.d.  The  two  subse¬ 
quent  centuries  of  India’s  history  in  the  north  form  a  special  field 
for  study  until  about  the  year  320  a.d.,  when  the  sovereignty  of 
Northern  India  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Guptas,  who  main¬ 
tained  it  for  more  than  a  century.  The  era  of  the  Gupta  Empire 
was  that  of  a  true  Indian  renaissance — the  Augustan  age  of  San¬ 
skrit  literature,  with  Kalidasa  as  its  brightest  ornament.  The  de¬ 
cline  and  fall  of  the  Gupta  dynasty,  about  455  a.d.,  was  brought 
about  largely  by  the  inroads  of  the  Hunas,  or  Huns,  resulting  in 
a  period  of  chaos  until  the  barbarians  were  finally  driven  back, 
about  the  end  of  the  sixth  century.  The  last  successful  strokes 
needed  to  complete  this  achievement  appear  to  have  been  delivered 
through  the  prowess  of  the  father  and  the  elder  brother  of  Harsha. 
To  Harsha  himself  belonged  the  glory  of  then  establishing  a  new 
era,  literally,  and  of  bringing  the  major  portion  of  Northern  India 
under  one  royal  ‘  umbrella.’ 

Harsha’s  father  and  elder  brother  as  kings.  In  the  veins  of 
Harsha,  Harshadeva,  or  Sri-Harsha-vardhana,  as  he  was  more 
fully  entitled,  flowed  the  royal  blood  of  generations;  indeed,  his 
grandmother  on  the  father’s  side  was  by  descent  a  princess  of  the 
Gupta  line.  The  family  name  Vardhana,  lit.  4  increase,  growth,’ 
hence  ‘bestower  of  prosperity’  (shared  in  ancient  days  by  the 
great  Asoka),  seemed  in  itself  to  imply  an  augury.2 

His  father,  Prabhakara- vardhana  (reigned  584?-6o5?  a.d.), 
was  an  ambitious  Raja  who  held  the  overlordship  of  Thanesar 
(Sthanesvara)  in  the  latter  part  of  the  sixth  century  and  won 
success  by  a  series  of  wars  waged  against  neighboring  rulers  in 

2  Bana  in  his  Harsacarita,  p.  85  (tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  p.  64),  speaks 
of  Harsha,  in  consequence  of  his  personal  cognomen  ( Harsa ,  ‘Joy’),  as 
being  ‘  of  well-chosen  name/ 


LIFE  AND  TIMES  OF  HARSHA 


XXIX 


the  west  and  northwest,  which  laid  the  cornerstone  of  a  new  fabric 
to  be  reared  on  the  ruins  of  the  fallen  Gupta  Empire.  One  of 
that  spirited  monarch’s  last  acts  of  warfare  had  been  to  send  his 
elder  son,  Rajya-vardhana  (four  years  the  senior  of  Harsha),  on 
a  campaign  against  the  remnants  of  Hun  power  on  the  northwest 
frontier,  when  death  by  a  fever  cut  short  Prabhakara-vardhana’s 
energetic  career  in  605  a.d.3 

Rajya-vardhana  (605-606  a.d.)  was  only  a  youth  of  about  nine¬ 
teen  when  he  mounted  the  throne  of  his  father.  Almost  immedi¬ 
ately  he  had  to  undertake  a  war  of  vengeance  against  the  king  of 
Malwa,  who  had  slain  the  princely  brother-in-law  of  Harsha  and 
Rajya-vardhana  and  was  holding  their  widowed  sister,  Rajyasri,  a 
captive  at  Kanauj.  Success  crowned  the  campaign  so  far  as  re¬ 
garded  taking  vengeance  upon  the  Malwa  monarch ;  but  after  the 
final  battle  Rajya-vardhana  was  treacherously  murdered  by 
Malwa’s  ally,  £asanka,  king  of  Central  Bengal,  during  a  parley. 
The  young  princess  escaped  from  Kanauj  and  became  a  refugee  in 
the  Vindhya  forest,4  while  Harsha,  sixteen  or  seventeen  years  old, 
was  left  as  the  logical  successor  to  the  throne. 

Harsha  becomes  king  (606  A.D.).  The  nobles  united  in 
choosing  Harsha  as  their  sovereign  in  October,  606  a.d.,  a  date 
which  is  signalized  in  the  chronology  of  India  as  the  beginning  of 
the  ‘  Harsha  era.’  For  reasons  that  are  not  clear — whether  he 
was  acting  as  regent  for  a  presumable  infant  son  of  his  dead 
brother,  or  as  a  sort  of  joint  ruler  with  his  widowed  sister — 
Harsha  did  not  at  once  assume  the  kingly  title,  but  apparently  for 
a  time  termed  himself  simply  Prince  Siladitya,  ‘  Sun  of  Virtue.’ 

First  six  years  of  warfare.  His  most  pressing  duty,  however, 
was  to  recover  his  widowed  sister.  She  was  rescued  when  on  the 
verge  of  suicide  in  the  Vindhya  forest,  and  was  restored  in  safety 
to  Harsha’s  side,  where  she  remained  as  a  devoted  companion.  It 

3  This  date  (605),  though  subject  to  correction,  is  accepted  by  Etting- 
hausen,  p.  9,  and  by  V.  A.  Smith,  Early  History,  3d  ed.,  p.  336,  although 
later  V.  A.  Smith,  Oxford  History  (1919),  p.  165,  gives  the  year  as  604. 

4  In  the  Priyadarsika  the  heroine  is  a  princess  captured  in  the  Vindhya 
region,  but  only  a  very  distant  parallel  could  be  drawn. 


XXX 


INTRODUCTION— PART  ONE 


would  seem  that  she  influenced  her  royal  brother  in  his  later  life 
in  favor  of  the  religion  of  the  Buddha,  to  which  she  herself  was 
ardently  devoted.5  Another,  if  not  an  earlier,  obligation  was  the 
punishment  of  his  brother’s  murderer,  Sasaiika.  Regarding  this 
campaign  we  have  no  information  beyond  the  fact  that  the  treach¬ 
erous  monarch  was  still  maintaining  sway  in  619  a.d.,  although  the 
recreant’s  realm  appears  to  have  come  later  under  Harsha’s  rule.6 
However  that  may  be,  it  is  certain  that  Harsha,  directly  after 
assuming  the  reins  of  government,  entered  upon  a  career  of  martial 
activity  aimed  at  bringing  Northern  India  under  his  domination. 
In  the  words  of  the  Chinese  pilgrim,  Hsuan-Chuang  (whose  name 
is  transcribed  also  as  Yiian-Chwang  and  Hiuen-Tsang),  ‘he  went 
from  east  to  west,  subduing  all  who  were  not  obedient;  the  ele¬ 
phants  were  not  unharnessed,  nor  the  soldiers  unhelmeted.’  The 
successes  of  his  large  and  triumphant  armies  resulted,  within  six 
years  from  the  time  of  his  accession,  in  Harsha’s  being  able  to 
assume  all  the  royal  prerogatives  that  belonged  to  a  ‘great  king’ 
(mahdrdjddhirdja) ,  in  the  year  612  a.d. 

Succeeding  years.  The  dominant  chord  in  the  rest  of  Harsha’s 
life,  for  more  than  thirty  years,  was  that  of  strife,  organization, 
and  pacification.  To  establish  his  rule  in  the  south  of  India — the 
goal  sought  by  every  lord  paramount — was  a  natural  aim;  but  in 
this  attempt,  about  the  year  620  a.d.,  he  met  with  defeat  at  the 
hands  of  Pulakesin  II,  the  monarch  of  the  Calukya  kingdom  of 
Maharashtra  in  the  Western  Deccan.  Inscriptional  evidence  in 
the  records  of  Pulakesin  II  shows  that  the  southern  monarch 
‘  caused  the  interruption  of  the  joy  ’  of  King  Harsa  (lit.  ‘  Joy  ’)  by 
a  triumphant  repulse  of  the  northern  forces.  So  far  as  is  known, 
this  abortive  attempt  by  Harsha  to  extend  his  rule  beyond  the 
Vindhya  range  and  the  Narmada  river  was  his  sole  defeat.  In 
the  north,  with  the  exception  of  the  Panjab,  Harsha  remained  Lord 
Paramount;  eighteen  kings  became  vassals  at  his  feet,7  and  in 

5  Thus  much  can  be  gathered  from  the  accounts  of  Harsha  by  Bana 
and  Hsuan-Chuang  (Yiian-Chwang,  Hiuen-iTsang). 

6  See  Vincent  A.  Smith,  Early  History  of  India,  3d  ed.,  p.  339. 

7  For  references  see  note  14  on  Act  1,  below. 


GEORGE  PHILIP  £  SON,  LTO. 


MAP  OF  INDIA  IN  HARSHA’S  TIME 

(Reproduced,  by  courtesy  of  the  Oxford  University  Press,  from  The 
Oxford  History  of  India  by  Vincent  A.  Smith.) 


\ 


xxxii  INTRODUCTION— PART  ONE 

addition  to  these  the  monarchs  Kumara  (Bhaskaravarman)  of 
Kamarupa  (Assam)  on  the  extreme  east  of  India  and  Dhruvabhata 
(Dhruvasena)  of  Valabhl  (Gujarat)  on  the  extreme  west  became 
his  tributary  lieges,  thus  acknowledging  him  as  supreme  sovereign. 
Harsha’s  last  known  feat  of  arms  was  that  of  bringing  into  sub¬ 
jection  the  district  of  Ganjam  (Kongoda)  on  the  coast  of  the  Bay 
of  Bengal,  south  of  the  Mahanadi  River,  in  642-643  a.d.,  four 
years  before  his  death. 

Some  other  events  and  features  of  Harsha’s  reign.  The  long 

reign  of  Harsha  was  marked  not  only  by  deeds  of  conquest  but 
also  by  a  vigorous  administration  of  the  regions  subjugated,  a  task 
in  which  his  organizing  and  controlling  hand  was  ever  felt.  The 
capital  was  transferred  from  Thanesar  to  Kanauj  (Kanyakubja) 
on  the  Ganges,  which  became  a  city  of  regal  splendor,  although 
hardly  a  trace  remains  today  to  establish  its  precise  site,  since  it 
was  finally  destroyed  in  the  sixteenth  century  through  the  ravages 
of  local  warfare.  Education  was  zealously  promoted  throughout 
Harsha’s  imperial  realm,  and  as  king  he  recognized  that  his  claim 
to  the  remembrance  of  posterity  must  be  evidenced  not  by  deeds 
alone  or  inscribed  in  records  of  bronze  and  stone,  but  perpetuated 
in  monuments  raised  by  the  men  of  letters  whom  he  gathered  about 
him  at  his  court.8  His  own  education  in  youth  was  of  the  best ;  a 
specimen  of  his  handwriting,  preserved  on  an  engraved  grant,9 
shows  Harsha  to  have  been  a  master  of  calligraphy;  while  his 
interest  in  letters  is  proved  not  merely  by  the  patronage  which  he 
bestowed  upon  authors,  but  still  more  by  his  own  efforts  in  literary 
composition. 

Religious  tolerance  marked  Harsha’s  sway,  iron  though  his 
ruling  hand  may  otherwise  have  been.  Freedom  in  matters  of 
faith  seems  to  have  been  an  inherited  trait  in  the  family,  for  his 
father  and  his  ancestors  worshiped  equally  §iva  and  the  Sun  in 
the  Hindu  pantheon,  while  his  elder  brother  and  his  sister  were 

8  Regarding  the  literary  circle  at  the  court  of  Harsha  see  below, 
p.  xlix. 

9  Regarding  this  grant  and  the  autograph  signature  of  Harsha  see 
below,  p.  xliii,  and  the  reproduction  given  as  Frontispiece. 


LIFE  AND  TIMES  OF  HARSHA 


XXXlll 


devotedly  attached  to  the  teachings  of  the  Buddha.  Harsha  him¬ 
self  paid  homage  to  Siva,  to  the  Sun,  and  to  the  Buddha  alike,  but 
inclined  more  especially  to  Buddhism  in  his  later  years.  This  lat¬ 
ter  fact  is  testified  to  by  the  Chinese  Buddhist  pilgrim  Hsuan- 
Chuang,  who  spent  a  large  part  of  the  last  eight  years  (635  to  643) 
of  his  long  sojourn  in  India  within  the  borders  of  Harsha’s  domin¬ 
ions,  and  who,  toward  the  end  of  his  travels,  was  received  as  an 
honored  guest  at  the  imperial  court.  To  this  pious  follower  of 
the  footprints  of  the  Buddha  we  owe,  as  is  well  known,  the  fullest 
account  of  India  in  Harsha’s  reign,  tinged  though  the  narrative 
may  be  by  a  natural  Buddhistic  bias  on  the  part  of  the  pilgrim. 

The  grand  assemblies  at  Kanauj  and  Prayag.  Most  note¬ 
worthy  among  the  occurrences  chronicled  by  Hsuan-Chuang,  after 
he  had  met  the  Emperor  in  Bengal  in  643  a.d.,10  were  the  grand 
religious  assemblies  held  at  Kanauj  and  Prayag  (Allahabad), 
which  were  witnessed  by  the  pious  pilgrim.  At  these  royal  cere¬ 
monies,  elaborately  described,  eighteen  vassal  kings  were  in  attend¬ 
ance,  and  additional  homage  was  paid  by  the  two  great  tributary 
monarchs  of  Kamarupa  (Assam)  and  Valabhl  (Gujarat).  The 
imposing  functions  began  at  Kanauj  with  royal  pomp  and  were 
continued  with  equal  magnificence  at  Prayag,  where  they  lasted 
two  months  and  a  half.  A  feature  of  the  first  day  of  the  cere¬ 
monies  at  Prayag  was  the  dedication  of  an  image  of  the  Buddha ; 
similar  consecrations  of  votive  images  of  the  Sun  and  of  Siva 
marked  the  second  and  third  days  of  the  festival.  It  has  been 
conjectured — somewhat  fancifully,  perhaps — that  Harsha’s  play 
Nagananda,  with  its  Buddhist  theme,  may  have  been  performed  on 
the  first  day,  and  that  the  other  two  plays,  Priyadarsika  and 
Ratnavall,  in  which  Siva  is  especially  invoked,  may  have  been  pro¬ 
duced  on  the  second  and  third  days.11  Then  followed  a  distribu¬ 
tion  of  the  royal  treasures  to  the  devout  and  poor  of  the  various 
religious  sects,  Buddhist,  Brahmanical,  and  Jain,  assembled  in 

10  This  celebration  took  place  after  the  subjugation  of  Ganjam  in  that 
year. 

11  See  Cowell’s  suggestion  in  the  introduction  to  Palmer  Boyd’s  transla¬ 
tion  of  the  Nagananda,  pages  x-xi. 

3 


XXXIV 


INTRODUCTION— PART  ONE 


thousands,  until  nothing  was  left  of  the  accumulated  wealth  except 
enough  to  administer  the  government.  At  the  close,  Harsha 
donned  a  worn-out  cloak  handed  him  by  his  sister,  to  symbolize 
his  poverty.  This  was  the  sixth  quinquennial  celebration  of  the 
kind  which  he  had  held  during  his  long  reign.  Hsuan-Chuang 
returned  to  the  Celestial  Empire  shortly  afterward  to  chronicle  his 
Indian  sojourn. 

Death  of  Harsha.  Harsha  at  last  could  return  the  royal  sword 
to  its  scabbard;  the  restless  soldier,  the  busy  king  and  emperor, 
the  untiring  administrator  and  promoter  of  his  people’s  welfare 
could  finally  seek  repose.  Probably,  like  Asoka,  he  found  peace 
and  comfort  in  religion,  though  we  do  not  know  how  his  remaining 
three  years  of  life  were  occupied.  Death  closed  his  remarkable 
career  toward  the  end  of  the  year  646  or  the  beginning  of  647  a.d. 
It  belongs  to  the  historian,  not  the  biographer,  to  record  the  anarchy 
which  followed  soon  after  his  mighty  hand  was  withdrawn  from 
control. 

Estimate  of  Harsha.  Harsha  had  not  the  exalted  character  of 
Asoka,  though  in  certain  aspects  he  doubtless  strove  to  emulate 
the  example  of  that  great  predecessor,  who  ruled  nearly  a  thousand 
years  before  him.  With  Kanishka  he  could  be  compared  only  in 
respect  of  his  martial  career  and  his  predilection  for  Buddhism. 
Some  resemblances  between  him  and  the  Gupta  emperor  Candra- 
gupta  II  might  be  found.  In  the  distinction  of  being  a  man  of 
letters  as  well  as  a  warrior  he  resembled  Babar,  the  founder  of  the 
Mughal  Empire  centuries  later.  More  numerous  points  of  like¬ 
ness  between  Harsha  and  Akbar  the  Great  could  possibly  be 
pointed  out,  including  a  talent  for  organization  and  administration, 
although  Harsha’s  empire  died  with  him.  But  taken  for  all  in  all, 
Sri-Harsha-vardhana — king,  emperor,  military  genius,  organizer, 
patron  of  letters,  poet — stands  out  as  one  of  the  most  noteworthy 
figures  in  India’s  long  roll  of  great  men. 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


XXXV 


2 

KING  HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  LITERARY  PATRON 
A.  ROYAL  AUTHORS  AND  PATRONS  IN  INDIA 

Introduction.  Kings  as  patrons  of  literature  are  not  uncom¬ 
mon,  but  kings  themselves  as  authors  are  more  rare.  The  names 
of  the  Hebrew  psalmist  King  David,  the  Roman  dictator  Julius 
Caesar,  the  philosophic  emperor  Marcus  Aurelius,  King  Alfred  the 
Great,  James  the  Sixth  of  Scotland  and  First  of  England,  and 
Frederick  the  Great  of  Prussia  rise  at  once  to  our  memory  as 
instances  of  royal  authors,  and  the  list  might  readily  be  extended. 
India,  in  its  turn,  can  claim  a  place  on  the  honor  roll  of  monarchs 
who  wielded  the  pen  as  well  as  the  scepter  and  the  sword. 

Poet-kings  of  Ancient  and  Early  India.  From  Visvamitra, 
the  priest-king  and  bard  of  Rigvedic  antiquity,  to  the  age  of  King 
Harsha  is  a  tremendous  span.  In  the  interval  it  may  seem  fanci¬ 
ful  to  catch  an  early  strain  in  the  Pali  chant  that  sprang  from  the 
lips  of  Prince  Gautama  Siddhartha  at  the  moment  when  he  became 
the  Buddha,  or  to  hear  echoes  in  the  rhythmic  Gathas  of  the  En¬ 
lightened  One,  sung  after  he  had  resigned  world-sovereignty  for 
world-teaching.1  We  may  be  sure,  however,  that  the  lyric  note  in 
India’s  voice  had  never  been  lost,  and  certain  it  is  that  its  crescendo 
tone  broke  forth  in  full  unison  in  the  Gupta  period  of  Sanskrit 
literature  four  centuries  after  the  beginning  of  our  era. 

Samudragupta,  who  reigned  as  emperor  about  330-375  a.d.,  was 
not  only  skilled  in  music  and  singing,2  but  he  is  said  to  have  pos¬ 
sessed  marked  talents  likewise  in  the  realm  of  literary  composition. 
Although  no  specimen  of  his  work  in  the  latter  line  has  been  pre- 

1  For  the  text  of  the  first  chant  of  Prince  Siddhartha,  Sakyamuni,  after 
attaining  the  Buddhahood  see  Jataka,  ed.  Fausboll,  1.  76;  Dhammapada 
153-154  (tr.  Burlingame,  Buddhist  Legends ,  part  2,  p.  345,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  1921). 

2  Evidence  to  prove  his  musical  interest  is  given  by  his  coins,  which 
represent  Samudragupta  as  playing  on  the  lute ;  see  Vincent  A.  Smith,  Early 
History  of  India,  plate  facing  p.  xii,  no.  10 ;  and  cf .  also  the  first  part  of  line 
27  ( gandharwa-lalitair )  in  the  Gupta  inscription  noted  below  in  note  3. 


XXXVI 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TWO 


served,  we  have  an  inscription,  bearing  the  impress  of  royal  sanc¬ 
tion,  which  records  the  fact  that  4  his  title  as  “  King  of  Poets ” 
( kavirdja )  was  established  by  various  poetical  achievements  that 
would  have  served  as  a  means  of  livelihood  for  the  learned  class/  3 
In  any  event,  on  the  patron  roll,  his  son  and  successor  Candragupta 
II,  Vikramaditya  (c.  375-413  a.d.),4  and  his  grandson  Kumara- 
gupta  I  (413-455  a.d.)  were  fervent  fosterers  of  literature,  be¬ 
cause  in  this  era  flourished  Kalidasa,  if  the  accepted  dates  for  the 
Indian  Shakespeare  be  correct. 

King  Sudraka  and  authorship.  Furthermore,  in  the  dramatic 
field  itself,  the  authorship  of  the  Mrcchakatika,  or  ‘  Clay  Cart,’  is 
assigned,  according  to  the  prologue  of  the  play  and  tradition,  to 
King  Sudraka,  whatever  the  date  (3d  cent,  a.d.?)5  and  identity 
of  that  ruler  may  have  been.6  Sudraka  was  likewise  a  royal 
patron,  as  we  may  judge  from  the  fact  that  he  is  mentioned  as  the 
lord  of  a  literary  circle  ( sabhapati )  in  a  list  of  royal  literati — 
Vasudeva,  Satavahana,  Sudraka,  and  Sahasanka — cited  by  Raja- 
sekhara  (900  a.d.)  as  royal  poet-patrons  whose  example  is  worthy 
of  emulation.7 

3  Sanskrit  text :  vidvaj-janopajivyaneka-kdvya-kkriydbhih  pratisthita- 
kavirdja-sabdasya,  in  the  inscription  of  Samudragupta,  Corpus  Inscrip - 
tionuni  Indicarum,  vol.  3,  The  Gupta  Inscriptions,  no.  1,  pi.  1,  line  27  =  text, 
p.  8,  tr.  p.  15,  Calcutta,  1888;  cf.  also  lines  6  and  16  in  the  same  inscrip¬ 
tion.  Fleet,  as  editor,  rightly  notes  that  ‘  the  title  kavirdja,  “  king  of  poets," 
answering  somewhat  to  our  “  poet-laureate,"  is  still  in  use  in  Native 
States.’  Possibly  the  discovery  of  some  Sanskrit  work  bearing  Samud- 
ragupta’s  name  as  author  may  yet  be  made  and  thus  substantiate  his  title 
to  rank  as  a  king  among  poets  (kavirdja) . 

4  See  especially  below,  page  xxxviii,  n.  14. 

5  So  now  (‘Mitte  des  3.  Jahrh.’)  Sten  Konow,  Das  indische  Drama,  p. 
57  ( Grundriss  der  Indo-Arischen  Philologie,  2.  2,  part  D),  Berlin  and 
Leipzig,  1920.  [This  work  was  not  available  until  the  present  Introduc¬ 
tion  was  completed,  though  in  time  for  the  inclusion  of  references.] 

6  In  relation  to  the  problem  of  Sudraka  as  an  author,  mentioned  also  as 
a  patron  below,  n.  7,  consult,  among  other  references,  the  remarks  by  H. 
Jacobi  (in  reviewing  Pischel’s  Rudrata )  in  Literaturblatt  fur  Orient. 
Philol.  3.  74*~75 *,  Leipzig,  1886;  Sylvain  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien,  index, 
p.  96;  and  Georg  Morgenstierne,  Uber  das  Verhdltnis  zwischen  Cam - 
datta  und  Mrcchakatika,  Leipzig,  1921,  esp.  pp.  24-25. 

7  Sanskrit  text:  Vdsudeva-Satavdhana-Sudraka-Sdhasdhkadm  sakaldn 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


XXXVll 


King  Harsha  and  later  Sanskrit  poet-kings.  As  shown  be¬ 
low,  King  Harsha  in  the  7th  century  of  our  era  combined  in  a 
notable  manner  the  qualities  of  illustrious  ruler,  literary  patron, 
and  author  of  renown.  His  contemporary,  the  Pallava  king  Ma- 
hendra-vikrama-varman,  wrote  a  farce,  the  Mattavilasa.73,  Yaso- 
varman  (c.  735  a.d.),  king  of  Kanauj  and  patron  of  Bhavabhuti, 
was  the  author  of  a  drama  on  the  fortunes  of  Rama,  entitled 
Ramabhyudaya,8  as  well  as  of  occasional  verses  that  have  been 
preserved.  An  inscription  of  King  Jayadeva  of  Nepal  (8th  cent. 
a.d.)  contains  five  stanzas  composed  by  the  king  himself.9  A 
Kalacuri  prince,  named  Mayuraja  (8th~9th  cent,  a.d.),  is  men¬ 
tioned  as  the  author  of  a  drama,  Udattaraghava,  though  no 

sabhdpafin  ddnamanabhyam  anukuryat — see  Rajasekhara,  Kavyamimamsa, 
ed.  C.  D.  Dalai  and  R.  A.  Sastry  (Gaekwad’s  Oriental  Series,  no.  1), 
Baroda,  1916,  p.  xxi  (summary)  and  p.  55  (text).  Regarding  these 
royal  names,  which  are  given  apparently  in  chronological  order,  a  query 
may  be  raised  as  to  identification.  Is  Vasudeva  to  be  identified  with  the 
first  Kanva  king,  1st  century  B.C.,  or  is  he  to  be  associated  with  Vasudeva 
I  (reigned  c.  140  —  c.  178  A.D.)  or  with  some  other  king  of  that  name 
in  the  late  Kushan  line?  Consult  Vincent  A.  Smith,  Early  History  of 
India ,  3d  ed.,  p.  204,  cf.  pp.  272-278;  id.,  Oxford  History  of  India,  pp. 
138,  146.  Probably  Satavahana  is  the  king  of  Kathasaritsagara  fame, 
perhaps  identifiable  with  the  Andhra  king  Hala,  the  reputed  author  of  the 
Halasaptasati,  1st  century  A.D.,  cf.  V.  A.  Smith,  Early  History  of  India, 
3d  ed.,  p.  208.  It  seems  plausible,  moreover,  to  associate  Sahasanka  with 
‘the  illustrious  (king-) poet  Sahasanka’  ( srl-Sdhasdhkah  kavir )  in  a 
list  of  authors  found  in  a  stanza  by  Rajasekhara  quoted  in  Sarrigadhara’s 
Paddhati  (text,  Aufrecht,  ZDMG.  27.  77,  and  Peterson,  no.  188 — see 
Quackenbos,  Mayilra,  p.  11;  Gray,  Vasavadatta,  p.  4;  cf.  also  Etting- 
hausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  p.  101  note)  ;  and  it  is  likely  that  Pischel  was 
correct  in  accepting  for  this  *  beriihmte  Personlichkeit  ’  the  identification 
with  Vikramaditya-Candragupta  II,  as  suggested  by  Bhandarkar  on  the 
basis  of  a  statement  by  Ratnesvara,  a  commentator  on  the  Sarasvatl- 
kanthabharana,  who  explains  Sahasanka  as  Vikramaditya,  cf.  Pischel, 
Adhyaraja,  pp.  2-3  =  486-487  (see  below,  note  18).  According  to  another 
passage  of  the  Kavyamimamsa  (p.  50),  Satavahana  ruled  over  Kuntala  in 
the  Deccan,  and  Sahasanka  in  Ujjain. 

7a  See  Barnett,  in  Bulletin  School  Or.  Stud.,  London,  1920,  pp.  37-38. 

8  Cited  by  Abhinavagupta,  see  Aufrecht,  ZDMG.  36.  521,  and  mentioned 
in  SD.  427;  also  referred  to  by  Dhanika  on  DR.  1.  90,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas, 
p.  27;  cf.  also  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien,  pp.  211-212;  and  now  Konow,  Das 
indische  Drama,  pp.  79,  82. 

8  See  Indraji  and  Biihler,  ‘Inscriptions  from  Nepal,’  IA.  9.  178-182. 


XXXV111 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TWO 


extant  copy  of  the  work  is  known.10  In  a  minor  way  Amogha- 
varsha  I,  who  reigned  in  the  Deccan  in  the  9th  century  (815-877 
a.d.),  was  probably  himself  an  author,  besides  being  a  patron  of 
literature.11  The  same  qualities  of  authorship  and  literary  patron¬ 
age  are  well  illustrated  in  King  Munja,  who  reigned  toward  the 
end  of  the  10th  century  (974-995  a.d.),  and  in  King  Bhoja  early 
in  the  nth  century.12  A  stanza  by  Munja  is  quoted  by  the  later 
Paramara  king  Arjunavarman  (see  below)  ;  and  the  names  of 
Munja  and  Bhoja,  combined  with  that  of  Harsha  and  the  still 
earlier  Vikramaditya  (=  Candragupta  II,  see  above,  p.  xxxvi  and 
end  of  n.  7),  are  instanced  by  Soddhala  (nth  century  a.d.)  as 
examples  equally  of  ‘the  monarch’  ( bhilpala )  and  ‘the  poet- 
prince’  or  ‘prince  of  poets’  ( kavlndra )13  who  headed  a  literary 
court  ( sablia ).14  Still  later,  in  the  12th  century,  we  have  the  in¬ 
disputable  evidence  of  a  royal  dramatist,  King  Vigraharajadeva,  of 
Sakambharl  in  Raj  pu tana,  as  contained  in  his  own  epigraphic  rec¬ 
ords.  In  a  Sanskrit  inscription  discovered  at  Ajmir,  bearing  his 
royal  authorization  and  dated  1153  a.d.,  there  are  preserved  por¬ 
tions  of  a  drama  entitled  Harakelinataka,  in  prose  and  verse,  from 
his  own  pen,  showing  certain  reminiscences  of  Bharavi,  five  cen¬ 
turies  earlier,  and  possibly  of  Kalidasa.15  The  Paramara  king 
Arjunavarman,  who  ruled  early  in  the  13th  century,  wrote  a  com¬ 
mentary  on  the  Amarusataka  entitled  Rasikasamjivani,  in  the 

10  See  the  stanza  quoted  by  Dhanika  on  DR.  2.  92,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas, 
p.  73  ;  cf.  now  also  Konow,  Das  indische  Drama,  p.  82. 

11  See  J.  F.  Fleet,  ‘Notes  on  Indian  History/  IA.  33.  197-200;  cf.  id. 
I  A.  38.  256.  (This  name  is  not  to  be  confused  with  Amoghavarsa,  an 
epithet  of  Munja  Vakpatiraja;  cf.  Biihler,  Ep.  Ind.  1.  226.) 

12  For  detailed  references  see  Haas,  Dasarupa,  pp.  xxii-xxiii;  Quacken- 
bos,  Mayura,  pp.  41-42. 

13  Regarding  the  appellation  kavlndra  see  the  remark  on  kavirdja,  note 
3.  above. 

14  Sanskrit  text :  kaznndrais  ca  Vikramdditya-sYi-Harsa-Munja-Bho ja¬ 
de  vadi-bhupalaih — see  Soddhala,  Udayasundarlkatha,  ed.  C.  D.  Dalai  and 
E.  Krishnamacharya,  p.  150  (Gaekwad’s  Oriental  Series,  no.  11),  Baroda, 
1920.  Furthermore,  regarding  Soddhala’ s  dubbing  sn-Harsa  as  gir-Harsa 
see  below,  p.  xlii. 

15  See  F.  Kielhorn,  ‘  Sanskrit  Plays  partly  preserved  as  inscriptions  at 
Ajmere/  IA.  20.  201-212,  Bombay,  1891. 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


XXXIX 


course  of  which  he  quotes  King  Munja,  whom  he  calls  'our 
ancestor  Munja/  16 

Other  parallels  connected  with  India:  Tamerlane,  Babar, 
Jahangir.  Quite  apart  from  Sanskrit  literature,  yet  directly  con¬ 
nected  with  India’s  history,  may  be  mentioned  parallels  drawn 
from  the  line  of  the  Mughal  emperors.  With  a  passing  allusion 
to  the  Turkish-Persian  Memoirs  of  their  distant  ancestor  Timur 
Lang,  or  Tamerlane,  who  sacked  Delhi  in  1398  and  thus  opened 
the  gates  for  his  later  descendants,  special  mention  may  be  made 
of  the  delightful  autobiographic  Journal  of  Babar,  the  founder  of 
the  Mughal  Empire  in  India.17  Babar  was  not  only  a  master  of 
prose  narrative,  but  was  also  a  skilled  craftsman  in  verse,  whether 
in  his  native  Turk!  or  in  Persian.  Nor  must  we  forget  the  per¬ 
sonal  Annals  of  his  great-grandson  Jahangir,  'the  Great  Mogul.’ 
Later  examples  might  be  cited  of  Hindu  rulers  who  have  written 
both  in  the  vernaculars  and  in  English.  The  ideal  of  kingship  in 
India  from  early  times  was  supposed  to  embody  all  gifts ;  the  talent 
of  authorship  might  well  be  among  them. 

B.  HARSHA’S  CLAIMS  TO  AUTHORSHIP 

On  Harsha’s  direct  claims  as  a  literary  monarch.  It  has 

been  shown  above,  on  the  grounds  of  external  evidence,  precedents, 
and  parallels,  that  there  is  good  reason  for  including  Harsha  as  a 
'king-poet.’  Abundant  evidence,  partly  external  and  partly  in¬ 
ternal,  may  furthermore  be  brought  forward  to  prove  that  this  title 
to  literary  craftsmanship  is  certainly  assured  for  Harsha.  We 
may  begin  with  statements  by  Bana. 

Bana’s  allusions  to  Harsha  as  a  poet.  Bana,  the  friend  and 
biographer  of  Harsha’s  earlier  life,  speaks  two  or  three  times  in 
his  prose  romance,  Harshacarita,  of  the  king’s  acknowledged  poetic 

16  See  Amarusataka,  ed.  Durgaprasad  and  Parab,  p.  23,  Bombay,  1889 ; 
cf.  Haas,  Dasarupa,  p.  xxiii.  The  poetic  skill  of  Arjunavarman  is  men¬ 
tioned  in  stanza  18  of  an  inscription  of  this  ruler  published  by  Fitzedward 
Hall,  JAOS.  7.  24-31  (1861). 

17  See  Memoirs  of  Babur ,  tr.  Leyden  and  Erskine,  rev.  by  King,  2  vols., 
Oxford,  1921. 


xl 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TWO 


talent.  In  a  metrical  introduction,  of  twenty-one  verses,  to  his 
prose  narrative  of  Harsha’s  deeds,  Bana  (with  a  courtier’s  grace, 
it  is  true)  leads  up  through  a  long  line  of  poets  to  a  climax  (stanza 
18)  in  alluding  to  his  generous  patron  under  the  title  of  Adhyaraja 
(lit.  ‘  Rich  King  ’)  as  a  recognized  poet.18  He  writes :  ‘  My  tongue 
seems  checked  from  utterance  through  the  performances  ( utsahair 
=  literary  achievements  as  well  as  deeds  of  prowess)19  accom¬ 
plished  by  Adhyaraja  (i.e.  Harsha)  even  when  merely  remem¬ 
bered  as  abiding  in  my  heart,  and  it  can  proceed  no  further  in 
poetry.’ 20  Then,  mentioning  Harsha  expressly  by  name  in  stanza 
21,  Bana  turns  to  prose  as  the  medium  in  which  to  narrate  the 
events  of  the  earlier  life  of  his  royal  patron. 

Even  if  a  question  should  be  raised  as  to  the  interpretation  to 
be  given  to  the  above  passage,  there  is  no  question  as  to  the  fact 
that  twice  later  in  the  course  of  his  account  Bana  definitely  alludes 
to  his  patron’s  poetic  talents.  One  of  these  references  is  found 
among  a  long  list  of  Harsha’s  achievements  as  a  king,  and  affirms 
that  ‘his  gift  in  poetry  could  hardly  find  expression  in  words,  just 
as  his  valor  lacked  sufficient  range  for  its  exercise.’ 21  The  other 
allusion  by  Bana  emphasizes  Harsha’s  originality  in  composition, 

18  The  identification  of  Adhyaraja  with  Harsha  was  first  made  by  R. 
Pischel,  ‘Adhyaraja,’  in  Nachrichten  der  kgl.  Gesellsch.  der  IViss.  zu 
Gottingen ,  Phil -hist.  Klasse,  1901,  pp.  485-487  (=  reprint,  pp.  1-3),  Gottin¬ 
gen,  1902. 

19  See  the  note  by  Cowell  and  Thomas,  The  Harsacarita,  p.  3  n.  6, 
who  draw  attention  to  the  fact  that '  utsdha  seems  to  refer  to  a  pantomimic 
recitation  as  well  as  to  general  energy.’  Consult  furthermore  Etting- 
hausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  p.  98.  But  differently  Pischel,  op.  cit.,  p.  486 
(=  p.  2  of  the  reprint). 

20  For  the  Sanskrit  text, 

Adhyaraja-krtotsahair  hrdayasthaih  smrtair  api 
jihvd  ’ntah  krsyamdne  ’va  na  kavitve  pravartate, 

see  Bana,  Harsacarita,  ed.  Fiihrer,  p.  9,  Bombay,  1909;  ed.  Parab  and  Vaze, 
p.  6,  Bombay,  1892;  and  cf.  the  transl.  of  Cowell  and  Thomas,  p.  3,  Lon¬ 
don,  1897. 

21  Sanskrit  text :  api  cd  *sya  .  .  .  kavitvasya  vdcah  .  .  .  na  parydpto 
visayah,  see  Bana,  ed.  Fiihrer,  p.  121,  lines  8-1 1;  ed.  Parab  and  Vaze,  p. 
86,  lines  6-9;  cf.  tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  p.  65,  lines  2-9;  cf.  also  Etting- 
hausen,  Harsa-Vardhana ,  p.  98. 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


xli 


"pouring  forth,  in  art-poesy  and  in  stories,  a  nectar  unquaffed 
[from  other  sources].’ 22 

Other  direct  allusions  to  Harsha  as  a  royal  author.  Supple¬ 
mentary  to  what  has  been  instanced  already  regarding  Harsha  as 
both  king  and  poet,  attention  may  be  drawn  to  an  interesting  state¬ 
ment  by  the  Chinese  Buddhist  traveler  I-Ch'ing  (I-Tsing),  who 
spent  many  years  in  India  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  7th  century, 
being  absent  from  his  home  between  the  years  671  and  695  a.d.23 
This  noted  authority  expressly  records  that  "  King  Slladitya  (i.e. 
Harsha)  was  exceedingly  fond  of  literature  ’ ;  and  that,  besides 
causing  a  collection  of  poetry  to  be  made,  *  King  Slladitya  versified 
the  story  of  the  Bodhisattva  Jlmutavdhana  (Chinese,  "Cloud- 
borne’),  who  surrendered  himself  in  place  of  a  Naga;  this  version 
was  set  to  music  (lit.  ‘string  and  pipe’)  ;  he  had  it  performed  by 
a  band  accompanied  by  dancing  and  acting,  and  thus  popularized  it 
in  his  time.’ 24  This  statement,  as  is  well  known,  contains  an  allu¬ 
sion  to  the  Sanskrit  drama  Nagananda,  which  bears  Harsha’s  name, 
and  thus  adds  external  evidence  to  the  internal  evidence  brought 
out  below  to  prove  the  King’s  authorship. 

It  is  interesting,  furthermore,  to  find  that  Damodaragupta,  who 
lived  under  King  Jayapida  of  Kashmir  (800  a.d.),  gives  excerpts 
from  the  Ratnavall,  which  he  designates  as  the  work  of  a  king.25 
Thus  additional  testimony  is  given  regarding  that  play. 

22  Sanskrit  text :  kdvyakathasv  apltam  amrtam  udvamantam — see  ed. 
Parab  and  Vaze,  p.  79,  lines  3-4,  and  ed.  Fiihrer,  p.  112,  line  12.  It 
should  be  observed  that  Cowell  and  Thomas,  p.  58,  lines  5-7,  render 
kavyakathasu  as  ‘  in  poetical  contests  ’ ;  but  that  translation  can  hardly  be 
accepted  in  view  of  the  natural  version  of  the  words  offered  above,  even 
though  it  might  be  difficult  to  show  from  extant  texts  that  Harsha  was 
an  author  of  both  kdvyas  and  kathas,  unless  the  dramas  bearing  his  name 
are  to  be  understood  as  including  both. 

23  See  I-Tsing,  A  Record  of  the  Buddhist  Religion  in  India  and  the 
Malay  Archipelago,  tr.  J.  Takakusu,  pp.  xxv-xxviii,  lv,  and  p.  163,  Ox¬ 
ford,  1896. 

24  See  Takakusu,  op.  cit.  pp.  163-164. 

25  See  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien,  pp.  389-391,  and  now  also  Sten  Konow, 
Das  indische  Drama,  p.  74 ;  cf .  Kuttanlmata  777-787,  856-857,  in  Kavyamdla, 
pt.  3,  pp.  98-99,  104-105,  Bombay,  1887;  tr.  J.  J.  Meyer,  pp.  129-130,  143- 
144,  Leipzig,  n.d. 


xlii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TWO 


Attention  may  here  be  called  again  to  the  statement  of  Soddhala 
(nth  century  a.d.),  cited  above  as  mentioning  Harsha  among  poet- 
kings  and  patrons  of  literature.26  In  another  passage,27  to  which 
special  attention  may  be  drawn,  Soddhala  punningly  refers  to 
Harsha  (lit.  ‘Joy’)  as  ‘the  illustrious  Harsha’  ( sri-Harsa ),  whose 
‘Joy  was  in  diction’  ( gir-harsa ).  The  text,  which  is  difficult  to 
imitate  in  an  English  version,  runs  as  follows : — 

Sri-Harsa  ity  avanivartisn  pdrthivesu 
ndmnai  *va  kevalam  ajdyata ;  vastutas  tu 
gir-harsa  esa  nijasamsadi — yena  rdjha 
sampujiiah  kanakakotisatena  Banah 

‘  There  arose  among  the  princes  dwelling  upon  earth 
[One  who  was]  SrI-Harsha  merely  by  name;  but,  in  reality, 

That  one  was  Speech -Joy  (or  *  rejoicing  in  diction’)  in  his  own 
assembly — 

A  king  by  whom  Bana  was  honored  with  [a  gift  of]  a  hundred 
crores  of  gold.’ 28 

Additional  evidence  along  the  same  general  line  may  be  found 
in  Jayadeva  (about  13th  century  a.d.),29  who  joins  Harsha’s  name 
as  author  with  that  of  the  earlier  Bhasa  and  Kalidasa,  as  well  as 
with  his  contemporaries  Bana  and  Mayura  and  with  the  later  Cora, 
in  a  stanza  on  poetry  that  contains  punning  allusions  to  these 
writers.30  In  a  somewhat  similar  connection,  associating  Bana  and 
Mayura  with  Harsha’s  court,  Madhusudana  (1654  a.d.)  speaks  of 
the  king  as  ‘  Maharaja  £ri-Harsha,  the  chief  of  poets,  the  composer 

26  For  the  text  see  page  xxxviii,  note  14,  above. 

27  Soddhala’ s  Udayasundarikatha,  ed.  C.  D.  Dalai  and  E.  Krishnama- 
charya,  p.  2,  Baroda,  1920  (Gaekwad’s  Oriental  Series,  no.  11). 

28  On  Harsha’s  liberality  toward  Bana  cf.  below,  p.  xlviii. 

29  This  date  for  Jayadeva  is  tentatively  assigned  by  H.  Chand,  Kalidasa 
et  Part  poetique  de  I’lnde,  p.  in,  Paris,  1917;  but  cf.  Konow,  Das  indische 
Drama,  pp.  87-88,  who  would  place  him  not  later  than  the  nth  century. 
In  any  event,  the  view  formerly  entertained,  that  he  flourished  in  the  16th 
century  (cf.  Quackenbos,  The  Sanskrit  Poems  of  Mayura,  p.  54  n.  4), 
must  now  be  abandoned,  since  stanzas  by  Jayadeva  are  quoted  in  Sarnga- 
dhara’s  Paddhati  (1363  A.D.). 

30  For  the  Sanskrit  text  of  this  stanza,  and  for  references,  see  Quack¬ 
enbos,  Mayura,  p.  54. 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


xliii 


of  the  Natika  called  Ratnavall,  who  was  lord  of  Malava,  and  whose 
capital  was  Ujjain.’ 31  In  concluding,  it  may  furthermore  be  noted 
that  the  comparatively  late  anthology  entitled  Subhasitaratna- 
bhandagara  contains  a  stanza  of  four  lines  (stanza  70,  ed.  Parab, 
3d  ed.,  p.  56,  Bombay,  1891)  which  includes  Harsha’s  name  in  a 
somewhat  longer  list  of  well-known  writers  who  "gladden  this 
universe  by  their  compositions/ 32 

Royal  grants  by  Harsha.  In  addition  to  the  general  evidence 
brought  forward  above  with  regard  to  Harsha  as  a  writer,  we  have 
also  epigraphic  data  that  have  a  bearing  in  this  connection.  Pass¬ 
ing  over  the  Sonpat  Seal  of  Harsha,  we  may  refer  directly  to  two 
records  inscribed  on  copper  plates,  namely,  the  well-known  Bans- 
khera  Plate  (628  a.d.),  bearing  Harsha’s  own  signature,  and  the 
almost  identical  Madhuban  Plate  (631  a.d.),  unsigned.  This  royal 
signature,  attesting  the  Banskhera  Plate,  expressly  states  that  it  is 
"the  own  hand  of  me,  the  Overlord  of  Maharajas,  the  Illustrious 
Harsha’  ( svahasto  mama  M aharajadhiraja-sri-Harsasya) ,  and  is 
written  in  a  very  handsome  hand  that  shows  high  culture.33  Both 
of  these  records,  which  relate  to  grants  of  land,  were  manifestly 
dictated  by  the  King,  and  besides  giving  genealogical  data  they 
contain  likewise  some  metrical  stanzas,  common  to  them  both, 
which  deserve  to  be  specially  considered. 

One  of  these  stanzas  (B.  5-6  =  Mdh.  6-7,  rajano,  etc.),  in  four 
verses  written  in  the  sardulavikrldita  meter,  feelingly  refers  to  the 
death  of  Harsha’s  brother,  Rajyavardhana,  through  treachery  at 

31  The  text  reads  :  Malavardjasyojjayinlrajadhamkasya  kavijanamurdha- 
nyasya  Ratndvalyakhyanatikdkartur  M ah ardj asflh arsasya .  See  text  and 
translation  in  Biihler,  ‘  On  the  Authorship  of  the  Ratnavall,’  I  A.  2.  127-128 
(1873),  who  further  remarks  that  Madhusudana  ‘is  probably  inaccurate  in 
making  Ujjain  Sriharsha’s  capital.’ 

32  Cited  by  Gray,  Vasavadatta,  p.  5,  New  York,  1913,  and  by  Quacken- 
bos,  Mayiira,  p.  55. 

33  Compare  the  reproduction  included  as  a  frontispiece  in  the  present 
volume.  For  the  text  of  the  Banskhera  Plate  see  G.  Biihler,  Epigraphia 
Indica,  4.  208-211  (1896-1897).  For  text  and  translation  of  the  Madhuban 
Plate  see  G.  Biihler,  Ep.  Ind.  1.  67-75  (1892)  ;  F.  Kielhorn,  Ep.  Ind.  7.  I55~ 
160  (1902-1903).  Cf.  also  Ettinghausen,  Harsa-Vardhana ,  pp.  143-151,  179- 
180. 


xliv 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TWO 


the  hands  of  enemies,  and  may  well  be  Harsha’s  own  composition.34 
A  second  stanza  of  four  lines  (B.  i3  =  Mdh.  1 6,  asmat-kula ,  etc.), 
written  in  the  vasantatilakd  meter  and  containing  a  somewhat 
graphic  image  of  ‘  Fortune  unstable  as  lightning  or  a  bubble  of 
water/  urges  upon  his  family  and  others  the  faithful  sanction  of 
his  royal  gift.  It  is  directly  followed  in  the  next  line  (B.  13-14 
=  Mdh.  16-17)  by  a  couplet  in  sloka  meter: 

karmmand  man  as  d  vdcd  karttavyam  prdnine 38  hitam 
Harsenai  }tat  samdkhyatam  dharmmdrjjanam  anuttamam 

1  By  deed,  thought,  and  word  one  should  do  good  to  the  living ; 

This  Harsha  has  declared  to  be  the  highest  way  of  earning  religious 
merit/ 

On  the  evidence  furnished  by  the  two  epigraphic  records  presented 
there  are  apparently  good  grounds  for  recognizing  Harsha’s  gift 
for  writing  occasional  verse. 

Occasional  stanzas  attributed  to  Harsha  in  the  Sanskrit  an¬ 
thologies.  Further  proof  of  Harsha’s  poetic  achievement  may  be 
sought  in  the  stanzas  quoted  under  his  name  in  the  Sanskrit  anthol¬ 
ogies,  although  the  shifting  attributions  in  several  cases  leave  more 
or  less  uncertainty  concerning  the  actual  authorship.  The  majority 
of  the  stanzas  ascribed  to  Harsha  are  taken  from  the  extant  dramas 
(only  one,  however,  being  from  the  Priyadarsika36),  but  about  a 
dozen  others  in  addition  are  quoted  in  the  various  anthologies, 
notably  in  the  Kavlndravacanasamuccaya,  the  Saduktikarnamrta, 
and  the  Subhasitavali.87 

Two  poems  of  Buddhistic  content  bearing  Harsha’s  name. 

There  exist  two  relatively  short  Sanskrit  poems  (Buddhistic  in 
tenor)  to  which  Harsha’s  name  is  attached  and  which  bear  the 
stamp  of  authenticity,  particularly  because  they  harmonize  with  the 

34  Such  also  is  the  view  of  Ettinghausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  pp.  179,  145. 

35  So  Mdh. ;  B.  reads  prdnibhi[r],  ‘good  should  be  done  by  the  living/ 

36  See  Skm.  1.  ii4  =  Priya.  1.  1;  cf.  note  2  on  Act  1,  below. 

37  The  anthology  citations  from  Harsha  are  fully  indicated  in  the 
valuable  edition  of  the  first-mentioned  work  by  F.  W.  Thomas,  Kavln¬ 
dravacanasamuccaya,  a  Sanskrit  Anthology  of  Verses,  edited  with  Intro¬ 
duction  and  Notes,  Calcutta,  1912  (Bibl.  Ind.,  new  series,  no.  1309),  cf. 
especially  pp.  1 17-120. 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


xlv 


King’s  later  Buddhistic  tendencies.38  One  of  these  is  the  Supra- 
bhatastotra,  a  Matin  Hymn  in  praise  of  Buddha  as  the  Illuminator, 
composed  in  twenty- four  stanzas,  or  ninety-six  lines,  principally  in 
the  malirii  meter,  and  bearing  Harsha’s  name  in  the  colophon.39 
The  other,  entitled  Astamahasrlcaityasamskrtastotra,  an  Encomium 
of  Eight  Buddhist  Shrines,  is  preserved  in  a  Chinese  transliteration 
from  the  original  Sanskrit,  as  was  first  cleverly  recognized  by 
Professor  Sylvain  Levi,  and  is  attributed,  on  the  authority  of 
Hsuan-Chuang,  to  an  Indian  king  called  in  Chinese  ‘  Sun  of  Virtue,’ 
which  is  the  equivalent  of  Slladitya,  the  name  by  which  Harsha  is 
best  known  in  Buddhist  writings.40  This  short  poem  consists  of 
five  stanzas,  comprising  twenty  lines  in  all,  the  first  stanza  being 
composed  in  the  mandakrdnta  meter  and  the  other  four  in  the 
meter  named  sragdhard. 

In  addition  to  all  the  cumulative  data  collected  above  in  support 
of  Harsha’s  claim  to  having  been  an  author  as  well  as  a  king,  we 
have  the  convincing  evidence  of  the  three  dramas. 

Assured  internal  evidence  of  the  three  dramas  in  support  of 
Harsha’s  authorship.  Every  student  of  these  plays  is  familiar 
with  the  fact  that  Harsha’s  name  as  author  is  woven  into  a  stanza 
which  is  repeated  nearly  verbatim  in  the  Induction  of  each  of  the 
dramas  Priyadarsika,  Ratnavali,  and  Nagananda.41  Such  devices 
to  assure  title-claim  to  authorship  are  found  not  only  in  Sanskrit 
but  also  in  the  Greek  Anthology,  in  Persian  odes,  and  in  Anglo- 
Saxon  poems.  A  closing  stanza  of  benediction  is  likewise  repeated 
in  the  case  of  the  two  plays  first  named 42 ;  and  there  are  two  in¬ 
stances  of  identical  stanzas  also  in  the  Priyadarsika  and  the  Naga¬ 
nanda.43  In  addition  to  these  there  are  repeated  phrases,  parallels 

38  On  Harsha’s  leanings  toward  Buddhism  see  above,  p.  xxxiii. 

39  See  Ettinghausen,  Harsa-Vardhana ,  pp.  168-175;  also  Thomas,  JRAS. 
1903,  PP-  703-722. 

40  See  S.  Levi,  ‘  Une  Poesie  inconnue  du  Roi  Harsa  Qiladitya,’  Actes  du 
dixieme  congres  international  des  orientalistes  {1894),  part  2,  sec.  1,  pp. 
189-203,  Leiden,  1897;  and  cf.  Ettinghausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  pp.  176-179. 

41  See  note  20  on  Act  1,  below. 

42  See  note  79  on  Act  4,  below. 

43  Priya.  3.  3  =  Nagan.  4.  1;  Priya.  3.  io=Nagan.  1.  14. 


xlvi 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TWO 


in  situation  and  turns  of  thought,  and  structural  similarities  or  the 
like,  all  of  which  are  well  enough  known  to  the  specialist  and  go 
to  prove  the  unity  of  authorship  of  the  three  plays.44  These  simi¬ 
larities  are  pointed  out  in  detail  in  part  6  of  the  present  Introduc¬ 
tion,  below.  Thus  the  assignment  to  Harsha,  the  poet-king,  is 
certainly  justifiable.45 

Disposal  of  doubts  as  to  Harsha’s  authorship  of  the  dramas. 

It  remains  only  to  dispose  of  some  doubts  in  regard  to  Harsha’s 
claim  to  the  authorship  of  the  plays,  because  that  question  has  been 
much  discussed  by  European  and  Indian  scholars,  although  the 
trend  of  opinion  has  been  steadily  growing  in  favor  of  Harsha’s 
title.  No  doubts  on  this  subject  appear  to  have  existed  in  the 
seventh  or  the  ninth  century,  because  in  those  centuries,  as  already 
shown,46  the  Nagananda  and  the  Ratnavall  (and  hence,  as  a  corol¬ 
lary,  the  Priyadarsika)  were  definitely  assigned  to  Harsha.  The 
doubt  first  arose,  so  far  as  the  evidence  at  hand  indicates,  through 
a  Sanskrit  comment  made  by  some  Hindu  exegetes  on  a  passage  in 
the  opening  of  the  Kavyaprakasa,  several  centuries  after  that  work 
itself. 

The  passage  referred  to  in  the  Kavyaprakasa  (i,  stanza  2),  a 
work  by  the  Kashmirian  writer  Mammata  (about  1100  a.d.),  al¬ 
ludes  to  the  gains  accruing  from  the  practice  of  the  poetic  art, 
among  them  being  the  fact  that  ‘poetry  redounds  to  fame  and 
makes  for  wealth  ’  ( kavyam  yasase  Jrthakrte),  which  statement  the 
author  himself  illustrates  in  a  prose  remark,  ‘  fame,  as  in  the  case 
of  Kalidasa  and  others;  money,  as  in  the  case  of  Dhavaka  and 
others  from  SrI-Harsha  and  the  like  ’  ( Kalidasadinam  iva  yasah, 
sn-Harsader  Dhavakadmam  iva  dhanam ).47  This  merely  repeats 

44  See  Pischel,  GGA.  1883,  pp.  1235-1241;  ibid.  1891,  pp.  366-367;  S.  J. 
Warren,  Koning  Harsha  van  Kanydkubja,  pp.  1-8,  The  Hague,  1883;  F. 
Cimmino,  Sui  Drammi  attribuiti  ad  Harshadeva,  Naples,  1906. 

45  This  is  the  conclusion  likewise  of  Ettinghausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  p. 
102,  and  of  the  latest  authority,  Konow,  Das  indische  Drama,  p.  74. 

48  See  above,  page  xli. 

47  Kavyaprakasa,  ed.  B.  V.  Jhalakikara,  2d  ed.,  pp.  8-9,  Bombay,  1901 ; 
tr.  G.  Jha,  pp.  1-2,  Benares,  1898;  ed.  of  ullasa  1  and  2  by  D.  T.  Chandor- 
kar,  p.  s,  Poona,  1898. 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


xlvii 


the  fact  that  Harsha  was  well  known  as  a  generous  patron,  what¬ 
ever  interpretation  we  are  to  place  upon  the  problematical  and 
otherwise  unknown  Dhavaka.  So  much  for  the  text  itself. 

Now,  it  must  be  noted  that  several  late  Sanskrit  scholiasts,  be¬ 
longing  to  the  seventeenth  century  or  thereabouts,  in  commenting 
upon  this  passage  in  the  Kavyaprakasa  ascribe  the  Ratnavall  to 
Dhavaka,  although  allowing  that  it  bears  Harsha’s  name.  These 
scholiasts  (as  cited  by  Fitzedward  Hall,  Vdsavadattd,  preface,  pp. 
15-17;  see  also  pp.  51  if.,  Calcutta,  1859)  are  Jayarama  in  his 
Kavyaprakasatilaka,  Vaidyanatha  in  his  Prabha  (or,  in  full, 
Kavyapradipaprabha),  and  Nagoji  (or  Nagesa)  in  his  Uddyota 
(or  Kavyapradlpoddyota),  regarding  all  of  whom  Hall  adds  the 
criticism  that  their  authority  is  not  great.  Thus  the  following 
statement  is  from  the  Uddyota  of  Nagoji  (about  the  end  of  the 
17th  century),  who  recounts  a  4  report  ’ :  ‘  Dhavaka  was  a  poet,  and 
having  composed  the  Ratnavall  in  SrI-Harsha’s  name  obtained 
much  wealth;  such  is  the  report’  ( Dhdvakah  kavih;  sa  hi  srl- 
Harsandmnd  Ratndvalim  krtvd  bahu  dhanam  labdhavdn :  iti  pra- 
siddham) . 48 

Still  another  scholiast,  Paramananda,  repeats  the  story  that  ‘a 
poet,  by  name  Dhavaka,  having  sold  his  own  work,  a  play  called 
Ratnavall,  obtained  much  wealth  from  the  king  named  Sri-Harsha; 
so  it  happened  of  old  ’  ( Dhdvakanamd  kavih,  svakrtim  Ratndvalim 
ndma  ndtikdm  vikrlya,  srl-Harsanamno  rdjhah  sakdsad  bahu 
dhanam,  avdpe  }ti  purdvrttam)  .49 

Based  upon  these  statements  by  late  commentators,  a  long  dis¬ 
cussion  has  been  carried  on  by  various  scholars,  although  the  best- 
qualified  authorities  today  tend  to  reject  the  assertions  of  the 
scholiasts  as  later  fictions,  lacking  foundation,  and  to  accept  the 
authenticity  of  Harsha’s  claim.50  Long  ago,  for  example,  Fitzed¬ 
ward  Hall  rightly  observed  that  "Hindu  authors  frequently  use 

48  See  Chandorkar,  op.  cit.,  p.  5. 

49  Cited  by  Pischel,  GGA.  1891,  pp.  366-3 67,  from  a  manuscript  in 
Bhandarkar,  Report  for  1882-1883  on  Skt.  Manuscripts  (no.  208,  fol.  8  b). 

50  See  the  special  bibliographical  list  on  the  authorship  of  the  dramas, 
which  is  appended  to  the  general  Bibliography,  above. 


xlviii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TWO 


the  formulas  “  old  story  ”  and  “  matter  of  notoriety,”  while  simply 
repeating  what  they  have  read,  and  after  no  particular  pains  to 
test  the  credibility  of  what  they  accept  as  facts.’ 61  In  addition  to 
this,  Biihler  noted  that  all  the  manuscripts  of  the  Kavyaprakasa 
found  in  Kashmir,  to  which  region  Mammata  belonged,  read 
4  Bana  ’  instead  of  ‘  Dhavaka,’  and  he  furthermore  pointed  out  that 
in  the  Sarada  script  it  would  be  quite  possible  for  a  copyist  to 
mistake  the  reading  of  Bana’s  name  as  Dhavaka.52  It  is  known, 
moreover,  that  Bana,  as  a  protege  and  litterateur  at  Harsha’s  court, 
received  recompense  for  his  literary  activity,53  but  nothing  more, 
even  though  he  may  possibly  have  lent  a  hand  in  polishing 
his  patron’s  dramas.  On  the  financial  aspect  of  Bana’s  position 
at  court  we  may  draw  attention  anew  to  the  Soddhala  passage 
which  has  been  quoted  above  (page  xlii)  to  the  effect  that  ‘  Bana 
was  honored  with  [a  gift  by  Harsha  of]  a  hundred  crores  of  gold.’ 
On  the  whole  we  may  feel  justified  in  disposing  of  the  interpre¬ 
tation  given  by  the  late  scholiasts  on  the  Kavyaprakasa  passage  as 
one  to  be  discredited,  and  as  not  militating  against  Harsha’s  real 
claim  to  creative  literary  genius.54  [It  may  be  added  that  this 
same  view  is  expressed  by  Konow  in  his  work  Das  indische  Drama , 
p.  74  (just  now  available),  where  a  clear  and  concise  summary  of 
the  controversy  on  the  authorship  of  the  plays  ascribed  to  Harsha 
is  given,  and  with  like  results.] 

Conclusion  as  to  authorship.  In  summing  up  the  question  it 

51  See  Hall,  Vasavadatta,  p.  1 6,  Calcutta,  1859  (Bibl.  Indica,  and  re¬ 
print). 

82  Biihler,  Detailed  Report  of  a  Tour  in  search  of  Skt.  Mss.  in  Kasniir, 
1877,  p.  69;  cf.  also  notice  by  Weber,  Indische  Studien,  14.  407,  Leipzig, 
1876.  Pischel,  GGA.  1883,  pp.  1235-1236,  expresses  some  doubt  as  to 
the  confusion  in  the  Sarada  script. 

53  Cf.  Harsacarita,  ch.  2,  end,  ed.  Parab  and  Vaze,  p.  91,  and  see  note  by 
Brahme  and  Paranjape,  Nagananda,  p.  viii,  n.  15. 

54  As  further  proving  the  untrustworthiness  of  the  later  rhetoricians 
it  may  be  noted  that  Acyutaraya  (Saka  1753  =  1831  A.D.)  in  his  own 
commentary  on  his  Sahityasara,  p.  4  (ed.  Panshikar  W.  L.  Shastri,  Bom¬ 
bay,  1906),  makes  Dhavaka  the  author  of  the  Naisadhiyacarita,  on  the 
authority  of  the  Kavyaprakasa,  wholly  regardless  of  the  fact  that  this 
poem  was  composed  by  the  later  Harsha  and  was  subsequent  to  the  date 
of  the  Kavyaprakasa  itself. 


HARSHA  AS  AUTHOR  AND  PATRON 


xlix 


may  safely  be  said  that,  whatever  may  be  urged  on  the  side  of  the 
king’s  having  possibly  received  literary  help,  there  can  remain  no 
reasonable  doubt  that  Harsha  was  actually  a  king-poet,  the  author 
of  the  three  dramas  that  bear  his  name,  and  the  writer  of  some 
occasional  verses  and  poems  assigned  to  him  by  Sanskrit  literary 
tradition. 

The  literary  coterie  at  Harsha’s  court.  From  the  various 
allusions  that  have  been  given  above,  it  is  clearly  proved  that 
Harsha  was  the  patron  of  a  literary  coterie,  and  there  flourished 
also  in  his  time  several  noted  writers  who  were  not  connected 
with  the  court.55  Paramount  in  his  own  cherished  circle  were 
Bana  and  Mayura,  whose  writings  are  well  known.56  There  is 
mentioned  also  a  poet  Divakara,  spoken  of  as  Matariga-Divakara 
or  Candala-Divakara  (lit.  ‘  outcast  Divakara  ’),  whose  skill  in  verse 
was  such  that,  according  to  a  stanza  of  Rajasekhara,  this  ‘  Outcast 
Divakara  became  a  member  of  the  coterie  of  Sri-Harsha,  on  equal 
terms  with  Bana  and  Mayura’  ( Mdtanga-Divakarah  |  sn-Harsasya 
’bhavat  sabhyah  samo  Bana-Mayurayoh)  ,57  and  his  name  is  linked, 
in  another  stanza  by  the  same  author,  with  that  of  Bana  into  a 
compound  (Bana-Divakarau)  .68  Regarding  this  shadowy  person, 
however,  nothing  tangible  seems  thus  far  to  have  been  brought 
out 59 ;  but  his  literary  merits  must  have  been  considerable  to  have 
won  the  fostering  favor  of  King  Harsha,  warrior,  poet,  and  patron 
of  letters. 

55  See  Ettinghausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  p.  96,  for  a  table. 

56  On  the  whole  subject  of  these  two  authors  see  the  introduction  to 
Quackenbos,  The  Sanskrit  Poems  of  Mayura,  .  .  .  with  B ana’s  Candi- 
sataka,  New  York,  1917  (C.  U.  Indo-Iranian  Series,  vol.  9). 

57  Quackenbos,  Mayura ,  pp.  9-10. 

58  Quackenbos,  Mayura,  pp.  10-n. 

59  It  would  be  fanciful  and  hazardous  to  conjecture  that  this  alien  who 
was  admitted  to  the  coterie  might  possibly  be  the  same  as  the  Buddhist 
monk  Divakaramitra  who  was  helpful  in  bringing  about  the  rescue  of 
Harsha’s  sister  and  was  afterwards  honored  by  the  king’s  friendship, 
according  to  Bana’s  Harsacarita,  text,  pp.  261-289;  transl.  pp.  233-258. 


4 


1 


INTRODUCTION— PART  THREE 


3 

PLOT  OF  THE  DRAMA  PRIYADARSIKA 

This  four-act  drama  derives  its  title  (as  often  in  the  case  of  a 
natikd)  from  the  name  of  its  heroine  Priyadarsika,  or  Priya- 
darsana,  who  up  to  the  time  of  the  denouement  is  called  Aranyaka, 
i.e.  ‘  Sylvia/  from  having  been  found  in  the  forest,  and  is  then 
discovered  to  have  been  a  princess  in  disguise.  The  plot  is  in  out¬ 
line  as  follows : 

Act  i.  The  heroine’s  father,  Drdhavarman,  king  of  Anga,  had 
pledged  his  daughter  in  marriage  to  King  Vatsa  of  Kausambi,  the 
hero  of  the  play,  although  her  hand  had  been  repeatedly  sought  by 
the  king  of  Kalinga.  Angered  by  the  rebuff,  Kaliiiga  waged  war 
against  Drdhavarman,  ravaged  his  kingdom,  and  made  him  pris¬ 
oner.  Drdhavarman’s  daughter,  Priyadarsika,  was  rescued  amid 
the  turmoil  of  battle  by  her  father’s  trusty  chamberlain  and  placed 
for  safety  in  the  keeping  of  his  ally,  the  forest-king  Vindhyaketu. 
The  chamberlain  then  departed  on  a  short  pilgrimage,  but  returned 
to  find  that  in  a  surprise  attack  by  unknown  foes  Vindhyaketu  had 
been  slain  with  all  his  followers,  the  camp  had  been  burned,  and 
no  trace  of  the  princess  was  to  be  found. 

These  events  are  narrated  in  the  Explanatory  Scene  by  the 
chamberlain  himself,  who  expresses  his  intention  of  rejoining 
Drdhavarman  in  the  latter’s  captivity.  He  adds  that  he  has  learned 
that  King  Vatsa,  the  hero,  who  had  been  held  a  captive  by  a 
powerful  monarch,  Mahasena-Pradyota,  of  Avanti  (Ujjain),  had 
meanwhile  escaped  from  bondage,  carrying  off  his  captor’s  daugh¬ 
ter,  Vasavadatta,  whom  he  had  made  his  queen. 

The  scene  now  shifts  to  King  Vatsa’s  palace  at  Kausambi,  and 
the  King  appears  with  his  boon  companion,  the  Jester  Vasantaka. 
Their  banter  is  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  Rumanvant,  the 
prime  minister,  and  Vijayasena,  the  generalissimo,  who  proves  to 
be  the  unknown  assailant  of  Vindhyaketu,  against  whom  he  had 


PLOT  OF  THE  DRAMA 


li 


been  sent  by  Vatsa  in  pursuance  of  some  unmentioned  grudge. 
He  relates  his  triumph  in  detail  and  adds  that  he  has  brought 
among  the  spoils  of  war  a  captive  maiden,  supposedly  the  daughter 
of  Vindhyaketu.  The  King  at  once  gives  orders  that  the  young 
girl  shall  be  placed  in  charge  of  his  queen,  Vasavadatta,  and  taught 
the  accomplishments  befitting  her  presumed  rank,  and  directs  that 
he  shall  be  notified  when  it  is  time  for  her  to  wed,  so  that  an 
appropriate  marriage  may  be  arranged.  Finally,  as  the  act  closes, 
he  declares  his  intention  of  dispatching  his  successful  general  to 
uproot  the  implacable  Kaliiiga. 

Act  2.  (A  year,  perhaps  more,  has  elapsed.)  Queen  Vasava¬ 
datta  is  observing  a  religious  fast.  At  a  moment  when  the  King 
is  walking  with  the  Brahman  Jester,  Vasantaka,  in  the  palace  gar¬ 
den  to  dispel  his  loneliness,  he  happens  to  catch  sight  of  Aranyaka, 
now  grown  to  be  a  maiden  of  rare  beauty.  She  has  been  sent  to 
the  garden  by  the  Queen,  in  the  company  of  one  of  the  Queen’s 
attendants,  Indivarika,  to  gather  lotuses  for  an  offering  in  con¬ 
nection  with  the  religious  ceremony.  The  King,  attracted  by  her 
charm,  hides  with  the  Jester  behind  a  clump  of  bushes  to  overhear 
the  conversation  between  the  two  maidens.  He  learns  that  Ara¬ 
nyaka  is  none  other  than  the  supposed  daughter  of  his  late  enemy 
Vindhyaketu,  now  arrived  at  marriageable  age. 

Aranyaka,  while  her  companion  has  momentarily  withdrawn  to 
a  distance,  is  suddenly  attacked  by  bees  lurking  in  the  cluster  of 
lotuses  which  she  is  picking  (cf.  Sakuntala,  act  i).  Covering  her 
face  with  her  mantle,  she  calls  to  Indivarika  for  help.  Urged  by 
the  Jester,  the  King  rushes  to  the  rescue,  drives  off  the  tormenting 
insects,  and  thus  finds  a  chance  to  embrace  her.  Unfortunately, 
however,  he  disregards  the  Jester’s  advice  to  remain  silent,  and 
endeavors  to  comfort  the  maiden  in  a  stanza  of  impromptu  poetry. 
This  startles  Aranyaka,  who  had  supposed  her  rescuer  to  be 
Indivarika,  but  now  learns  that  it  is  none  other  than  King  Vatsa, 
whom  her  father  Drdhavarman  had  designated  as  her  future  bride¬ 
groom.  Despite  her  sudden  infatuation,  she  calls  in  alarm  to 
Indivarika,  whose  return  forces  the  King  to  retire  again  to  hiding. 


lii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  THREE 


Deep  in  the  pensiveness  of  first  love,  Aranyaka  retires  regretfully 
with  her  companion,  while  the  King,  likewise  infatuated,  departs 
with  the  Jester,  filled  only  with  a  desire  for  a  meeting  soon  again 
with  the  object  of  his  new  passion. 

Act  3.  (A  short  interval  of  perhaps  a  few  days  has  elapsed.) 
Saiikrtyayanl,  a  learned  lady  and  friend  of  Queen  Vasavadatta, 
has  composed  for  the  diversion  of  her  royal  mistress  a  dramatic 
performance  representing  an  incident  in  the  courtship  of  Vasava¬ 
datta  and  her  husband,  the  King.  In  this  little  play  Aranyaka  is 
entrusted  with  the  Queen’s  part;  the  role  of  King  Vatsa  is  to  be 
performed  by  her  friend,  the  Queen’s  attendant  Manorama.  All 
this  we  learn  from  Manorama’s  monologue  in  the  Introductory 
Scene.  She  then  overhears  Aranyaka  in  the  garden  lamenting  her 
hopeless  passion  and  seeks  to  find  a  way  for  her  to  see  the  King 
again.  At  this  juncture  the  Jester  enters  in  search  of  Aranyaka 
by  the  King’s  command,  and  the  mutual  affection  of  hero  and 
heroine  is  thus  made  manifest.  Manorama  whispers  to  the  Jester 
an  artful  device  for  bringing  the  two  together. 

The  action  on  the  stage  now  shifts  to  a  room  in  the  palace, 
arranged  as  a  theater,  where  the  Queen  with  her  retinue  and 
SarikrtyayanI  come  to  witness  a  scene  from  the  latter’s  play.  It 
begins  in  due  form,  with  Aranyaka  appearing  in  the  part  of  the 
Queen;  but  the  King,  entering  secretly,  reveals  that  it  has  been 
arranged  for  him  to  assume  his  own  role,  instead  of  Manorama’s 
playing  it,  and  thus  have  a  chance  to  make  love  to  Aranyaka  in 
person.  This  he  proceeds  to  do,  but  with  such  ardor  as  to  arouse 
the  suspicion  of  the  Queen.  She  soon  learns  the  truth  from  the 
lips  of  the  Jester,  who  has  been  asleep  in  the  adjoining  room  and 
in  his  drowsiness  confesses  the  ruse.  Vasavadatta  breaks  up  the 
play  in  anger  and  commands  that  both  Aranyaka  and  the  Jester,  as 
an  accomplice,  shall  be  thrown  into  prison.  She  leaves  the  stage 
in  high  dudgeon,  despite  the  King’s  endeavors  to  apologize,  while 

the  King  departs  bent  on  finding  some  means  for  a  reconciliation. 

• 

Act  4.  (A  short  interval  of  time  has  elapsed.)  Manorama 


( 


PLOT  OF  THE  DRAMA 


liii 


appears  in  the  Introductory  Scene  and  reveals  that  Aranyaka  is 
still  kept  imprisoned  by  the  relentless  Queen  and  in  her  despair  is 
meditating  suicide.  Kancanamala,  the  Queen’s  attendant,  enters 
and  informs  Manorama  that  the  Queen  is  also  distressed  by  a 
letter  from  her  mother  telling  that  King  Drdhavarman,  husband 
of  her  mother’s  sister,  is  still  a  captive  of  the  accursed  Kalinga, 
and  reproaching  her  for  Vatsa’s  failure  to  act.  (The  Queen  ap¬ 
pears  to  be  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  her  royal  consort  had  dis¬ 
patched  an  expedition  against  Kalinga  a  twelve-month  or  more 
before,  in  order  to  destroy  him  and  effect  Drdhavarman’s  release.) 

The  disconsolate  Vasavadatta  is  now  disclosed  seated  in  the 
‘  ivory  tower  ’  of  the  palace,  while  Sarikrtyayam  vainly  seeks  to 
assure  her  of  the  King’s  continued  affection.  The  latter  enters, 
discussing  with  the  Jester,  now  released,  the  best  means  of  placat¬ 
ing  the  Queen  and  of  securing  Aranyaka’s  freedom  as  well.  He 
finally  confides  to  his  royal  spouse  the  word  that  he  is  daily  ex¬ 
pecting  news  of  the  complete  overthrow  of  Kalinga.  At  this 
moment  the  triumphant  Vijayasena  is  announced,  who  brings  the 
tidings  of  Kaliriga’s  death  in  battle.  He  is  accompanied  by  the 
chamberlain  of  Drdhavarman  (already  familiar  to  the  spectators 
from  the  Explanatory  Scene  of  the  First  Act),  who  renders  the 
grateful  homage  of  his  master,  now  restored  to  his  throne  through 
Vatsa’s  aid.  The  only  jarring  note  in  the  harmony  of  the  rejoicing 
is  the  Chamberlain’s  tale  of  the  disappearance  long  since  of  Drdha¬ 
varman’s  daughter  Priyadarsika,  who  had  been  placed  for  safe¬ 
keeping  in  Vindhyaketu’s  charge  at  the  time  of  the  first  war. 
Queen  Vasavadatta,  who  had  meanwhile  given  orders  for  Ara¬ 
nyaka’s  release,  is  deeply  afflicted  by  the  sad  news  of  the  loss  of 
her  cousin  Priyadarsika,  of  whom  no  trace  can  be  found. 

At  this  instant  Manorama  enters  with  the  shocking  news  that 
Aranyaka,  in  despair,  has  taken  poison.  Filled  with  remorse,  the 
Queen  bids  that  she  be  conveyed  at  once  into  the  royal  presence,  in 
the  hope  that  the  King,  being  skilled  in  the  use  of  magic  spells  that 
counteract  the  effects  of  poison,  may  save  her  life.  Aranyaka  is 
led  on  the  stage  in  a  dying  condition.  The  chamberlain  of  Drdha- 


liv 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FOUR 


varman  recognizes  her  immediately  as  the  lost  daughter  of  his 
master.  All  are  in  consternation.  King  Vatsa  comes  to  the  res¬ 
cue,  and  by  using  formulas  that  are  potent  charms  against  the 
poison,  he  gradually  restores  the  heroine  to  consciousness.  Vasa- 
vadatta,  rejoiced  at  finding  her  cousin  Priyadarsika  (no  longer 
Aranyaka)  restored  to  life  and  to  the  royal  family,  bestows  her 
hand  upon  the  King  to  be  a  lawful  wife  in  fulfilment  of  Drdhavar- 
man’s  pledge.  Thus  all  ends  happily,  and  the  play  concludes  with 
universal  felicitation. 


4 

TIME  ALLUSIONS  AND  DURATION  OF  THE  ACTION 1 

[Plot  of  the  play  in  brief.  Priyadarsika,  or  Aranyaka,  as  she 
is  called  in  the  play,  is  brought  in  early  girlhood  as  a  captive  to  the 
court  of  King  Vatsa  Udayana,  and  is  placed  under  the  care  of 
Queen  Vasavadatta,  until  she  shall  be  of  marriageable  age.  The 
king  later  falls  in  love  with  her,  and  she  is  discovered  to  be  the 
daughter  of  a  friendly  monarch,  Drdhavarman,  who  had  been  taken 
prisoner  by  an  enemy  more  than  a  year  before,  or  at  the  very 
moment  when  Priyadarsika  was  accidentally  captured  and  brought 
to  Vatsa’s  court.  King  Vatsa  restores  Drdhavarman  to  his  throne 
by  overcoming  his  captor,  the  king  of  Kaliiiga.  The  princess 
Priyadarsika,  as  she  now  turns  out  to  be,  is  united  to  Vatsa  at  this 
happy  moment  as  the  play  closes.  Number  of  acts,  four.] 

General  observations. — An  analysis  of  the  time  covered  by  the 
action  of  this  play  is  more  difficult  than  in  the  case  of  the  Ratna- 
vall,  with  which  it  has  many  points  of  resemblance  (see  part  6  of 

1  This  section  is  reprinted,  with  minor  changes,  from  Jackson,  ‘  Time 
Analysis  of  Sanskrit  Plays,  II/  JAOS.  21  (1900),  pp.  94-101. 


DURATION  OF  THE  ACTION 


Iv 


the  Introduction,  below).  The  chief  personages,  King  Vatsa  and 
his  companion,  the  Jester  Vasantaka,  Queen  Vasavadatta  and  her 
attendant  Kancanamala,  are  the  same  as  in  that  drama.  Ruman- 
vant,  however,  who  was  the  leading  general  in  the  Ratnavali,  is 
now  prime  minister;  and  Yaugandharayana,  who  figured  as  min¬ 
ister  in  the  Ratnavali,  is  now  mentioned  only  in  the  Mimic  Play 
(garbhanataka) ,  which  is  introduced  in  the  third  act  of  the  present 
drama  and  which  recounts  certain  incidents  in  King  Vatsa’s  earlier 
career  (cf.  susamvihitam  sarvam  Y augandharayanena,  page  56). 
Once  in  this  drama,  moreover,  allusion  is  made  to  Vatsa’s  second 
wife,  Padmavatl,  and  to  other  wives  (cf.  devinam  V asavadatta- 
P adumavadinam  annanam  ca  devinam,  pages  42-44),  of  whom  no 
mention  is  made  in  the  Ratnavali.  But  too  much  stress  must  not 
be  laid  on  this  point,  nor  on  the  change  of  ministers,  to  show  that 
the  Priyadarsika  refers  to  a  somewhat  later  period  in  Vatsa’s 
married  life.  See  part  5  of  this  Introduction,  below,  p.  lxxiii. 

One  point  comes  out  clearly  when  the  time  element  in  this  play 
is  studied ;  it  is  that  Harsha  in  this  play  has  followed  the  conven¬ 
tion  of  compressing  events  that  occupy  more  than  a  year  into  a 
period  that  seems  to  be  a  year,  as  laid  down  by  the  laws  of  Hindu 
dramaturgy.2  Thus  the  events  which  play  a  part  at  the  opening 
of  this  drama,  the  escape  of  King  Vatsa  with  his  bride  Vasava¬ 
datta,  the  misfortunes  of  King  Drdhavarman,  and  the  overthrow 
of  King  Vindhyaketu  which  brings  Priyadarsika  to  Vatsa’s  court, 
can  hardly  have  been  almost  simultaneous,  as  the  play  for  dramatic 
purposes  treats  them  to  be.  It  is  for  harmonizing  such  matters 
that  the  conventional  Explanatory  Scene  ( viskambhaka )  is  made 
use  of  by  the  author  (consult  on  this  subject  SD.  308,  314;  DR.  1. 
11 6,  ed.  Haas,  p.  34;  and  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien,  p.  59).  The 
growth  of  Priyadarsika  to  marriageable  age  and  the  release  of  her 
kingly  father,  Drdhavarman,  who  has  been  in  captivity  ‘  more  than 
a  year’  ( samahio  samvaccharo,  page  70)  by  the  time  that  the  play 
closes,  are  compressed  into  a  single  year  so  as  to  follow  the  dra¬ 
matic  dictum  that  ‘  business  extending  beyond  a  year  should  be 

2  For  quotations  from  the  canon  on  this  point  see  Jackson,  ‘  Time  Analysis 
of  Sanskrit  Plays,  1/  JAOS.  20  (1899),  p.  343. 


lvi 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FOUR 


comprised  within  a  year  ’  ( varsad  urdhvam  tu  yad  vastu  tat  syad 
varsad  adhobhavam,  SD.  306).  So  much  for  the  first  general 
results  of  an  examination  into  the  time  system  of  this  play.  Let 
us  now  turn  to  the  details. 

Analysis  in  detail.  Explanatory  Scene. — King  Vatsa  has  been 
promised  the  hand  of  Priyadarsika,  daughter  of  King  Drdhavar- 
man.  The  latter’s  chamberlain,  Vinayavasu,  appears  in  the  Ex¬ 
planatory  Scene  ( viskambhaka )  and  informs  us  that  a  rival  king, 
Kaliriga,  has  taken  Drdhavarman  prisoner  because  the  latter  had 
promised  his  daughter’s  hand  to  King  Vatsa  instead  of  to  him. 
Drdhavarman’s  captivity  has  therefore  begun. 

At  the  very  time  when  Drdhavarman’s  realm  was  being  invaded 
by  Kalinga,  King  Vatsa  himself  was  in  captivity  to  another  mon¬ 
arch,  Pradyota,  but  he  had  escaped  and  had  carried  off  the  latter’s 
daughter,  Vasavadatta,  as  his  bride.  She  is  the  jealous  queen  in 
this  play  as  in  the  Ratnavall.  We  are  furthermore  told  that  some 
unknown  foe  is  warring  against  the  king  of  the  Vindhya  forest. 
From  the  chamberlain’s  speech  we  learn  that  a  battle  had  taken 
place  on  the  very  day  on  which  he  is  speaking  (cf.  kathitam  ca 
’dya  mama  Vindhyaketund  etc.,  page  8).  Vindhyaketu  is  slain, 
and  the  young  girl  Priyadarsika,  who  had  been  temporarily  left 
for  safety  in  Vindhyaketu’s  forest  abode,  disappears  and  is  no¬ 
where  to  be  found.  Further  news  than  this  the  chamberlain  who 
had  lost  her  cannot  tell.  He  knows  only  that  his  own  lord, 
Drdhavarman,  is  a  prisoner  to  Kalinga  ( baddhas  tisthati,  page  8). 

From  the  chamberlain’s  closing  words  we  learn  also  that  the 
season  of  the  year  is  autumn  ( aho  atiddrunata  saraddtapasya,  page 
8)  ;  the  sun  is  passing  from  the  zodiacal  sign  Virgo  to  Libra 
( kanydgrahandt  pardm  tulam  prdpya,  stanza  5,  page  8),  which 
likewise  implies  a  covert  allusion  to  the  king’s  escape  from  captivity 
and  his  marriage  with  Vasavadatta. 

Time  of  the  Explanatory  Scene:  duration  of  the  action  itself, 
i.e.  some  part  of  a  day. 

Interval  of  several  days. — A  slight  interval  separates  the  Ex¬ 
planatory  Scene  ( viskambhaka )  from  Act  1.  There  are  several 


DURATION  OF  THE  ACTION 


lvii 


things  which  show  this.  In  the  first  place  the  Jester  speaks  of 
Drdhavarman’s  having  been  imprisoned  by  Kalinga  ( Didhavamma 
baddho  tti,  page  12).  Furthermore,  King  Vatsa  says  it  is  ‘many 
days’  ( bahuny  ahani,  page  12)  since  he  has  sent  his  own  chief 
general,  Vijayasena,  against  Vindhyaketu.  These  days  must  be 
accounted  for,  since  they  fall  in  part  within  the  present  action.  In 
some  degree  it  is  possible  to  do  this.  The  victorious  general  re¬ 
turns  in  the  first  part  of  Act  1 ;  from  his  own  words  we  know  that 
it  required  a  forced  march  of  ‘three  days’  ( divas atr ay ena ,  page 
14)  to  reach  Vindhyaketu  and  that  the  battle  began  at  daybreak 
after  his  arrival.  The  day  of  the  conflict  was  the  very  one  in 
which  the  scene  of  the  Explanatory  Scene  ( viskambhaka )  is  laid, 
as  we  have  already  found  (cf.  adya,  page  8).  It  must  have  taken 
almost  as  much  time  again  for  the  general  with  his  army  to  return. 
This  period  of  at  least  six  days  may  well  form  a  good  part  of  the 
‘many  days  ’  which  King  Vatsa  impatiently  feels  have  elapsed  since 
the  general  was  first  dispatched — unless  we  are  to  regard  bahuny 
ahani  as  a  mere  dramatic  exaggeration.  In  any  case  it  seems  fair 
to  allow  no  less  than  three  days  for  the  interval  between  the 
viskambhaka  and  Act  1.  We  may  now  turn  to  the  act  itself. 

Act  1. — King  Vatsa  comes  upon  the  stage  and  his  general  re¬ 
turns  victorious.  He  brings  in  his  triumphant  train  a  young  girl 
who  is  supposed  to  be  the  daughter  of  the  dead  Vindhyaketu  (cf. 
Vindhyaketor  .  .  .  tadduhite  ' ti ,  page  16).  She  is  really,  how¬ 
ever,  Priyadarsika,  the  child  of  the  imprisoned  Drdhavarman. 
Vatsa  appoints  the  girl  to  be  a  maid  in  waiting  upon  Vasavadatta, 
and  he  directs  the  Queen  to  remind  him  when  Aranyaka  (i.e. 
‘  Sylvia’),  as  she  is  henceforth  called,  is  old  enough  to  be  married 
(yada  varayogya  bhavisyati  tada  mum  smaraya,  page  16).  At  the 
close  of  the  act,  when  all  are  leaving  the  stage,  the  hour  is  mid-day 
(cf.  nabhomadhyam  adhyaste  bhagavan  sahasradidhitih ,  page  18, 
and  other  similar  allusions).  Plans  are  to  be  made  for  a  celebra¬ 
tion  in  honor  of  the  victorious  Vijayasena,  who  is  next  to  be  sent 
against  Kalinga  (page  18),  a  campaign  which  plays  a  part  in  the 
sequel  (Act  4). 

Time  of  the  First  Act:  the  forenoon  of  one  day. 


lviii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FOUR 


Interval  of  fully  a  year. — An  interval  of  at  least  a  year  is  to  be 
assumed  between  Act  i  and  Act  2.  This  is  shown  in  several  ways. 
First  and  foremost  we  must  account  for  the  expression  ‘  more  than 
a  year  ’  used  in  the  Fourth  Act  regarding  the  length  of  Drdhavar- 
man’s  imprisonment  (cf.  samahio  samvaccharo,  page  70).  The 
present  place  between  Act  1  and  Act  2  is  the  only  one  in  the  drama 
where  we  can  allow  for  this  longer  lapse  of  time,  since  there  is  not 
any  break  of  importance  either  before  Act  3  or  before  Act  4. 
Again,  as  already  stated,  the  King  had  bidden  that  Priyadarsika, 
or  Aranyaka,  as  she  is  called  in  the  play,  should  be  the  Queen’s 
maid  of  honor  until  she  should  reach  a  marriageable  age  (cf.  page 
16).  In  the  Second  Act  the  Queen  is  reported  as  saying  ‘today’ 
( ajja ,  page  28)  that  she  must  inform  the  King  that  Aranyaka  is 
now  marriageable,  as  he  had  commanded  to  be  reminded  when  she 
attained  that  age.  When  the  King  now  sees  her  he  speaks  of 
‘having  long  been  robbed’  (ciram  musitdli  smo  vayam,  page  28) 
of  a  pleasure  he  would  like  to  have  enjoyed.  Moreover,  Aranyaka 
and  her  associate,  Indlvarika,  seem  to  have  become  such  devoted 
friends  in  the  interval  that  has  elapsed  that  they  can  hardly  be 
separated  (cf.  na  sakkunomi  tue  vind  ettha  asidum,  page  28), 
although  Aranyaka  has  well  kept  the  secret  of  her  exalted  birth  all 
the  time  (cf.  page  24).  The  time  is  now  the  rainy  season  of 
autumn  once  again,  as  is  shown  by  the  allusions  to  the  luxuriance 
of  the  flowers  and  to  the  autumnal  rains  (pages  22,  26). 3  But 
more  especially  is  it  shown  by  the  reference  to  the  grand  autumnal 
celebration  of  the  full  moon,  or  the  Kaumudl-festival,  in  Asvina- 
Karttika  (September-November).  This  is  mentioned  at  the  be¬ 
ginning  of  Act  3  and  again  in  Act  4,  and  both  of  these  Acts  follow 
in  sequence  after  Act  2  without  any  important  break.  It  is  to  be 
supposed,  therefore,  that  an  interval  of  fully  a  year  has  elapsed 
between  Act  1  and  Act  2.  The  interval  may  possibly  have  been 
even  longer  owing  to  the  tendency,  for  dramatic  purposes,  to  com¬ 
prise  events  within  a  year,  as  explained  above.  In  that  event  the 

3  Compare  also  the  allusion  to  the  Agastya-offering  in  Act  2,  page  24,  and 
see  note  26  thereon  regarding  the  season  (early  autumn). 


DURATION  OF  THE  ACTION 


lix 


expression  ‘  more  than  a  year/  as  found  in  the  Fourth  Act,  would 
be  a  milder  expression  for  a  somewhat  longer  period.  See  above. 

Act  2. — At  the  opening  of  the  Second  Act  the  Queen  is  tempo¬ 
rarily  absent,  as  she  has  undertaken  a  vow  and  a  fast  (cf.  sotthi- 
vdana,  page  20),  and  the  lonely  king  is  in  need  of  diversion  (cf. 
kadham  eso  piavaasso  ajja  devle  virahukkanthavinodananimittam 
dharagharuj jdnam  jevva  patthido,  and  also  stanza  1,  ksdmdm  .  .  . 
adya  priydm,  page  20).  It  is  late  afternoon  (cf.  atthdhildsind 
sujjena  maiildvianti ,  page  24)  when  the  meeting  of  the  King  and 
Aranyaka  unexpectedly  takes  place,  and  the  sun  is  setting  when 
their  interview  closes  (cf.  atthamadhildsl  bhaavam  sahassarassi  and 
parinataprdyo  divasah ,  page  34).  The  whole  action  is  swift  and 
unbroken. 

Time  of  the  Second  Act :  the  latter  part  of  an  afternoon. 

Possibly  a  very  slight  interval. — Only  a  very  slight  interval  of 
time  separates  Act  3  from  Act  2,  for  the  Queen  is  again  present 
after  her  fast;  and  the  allusions  made  by  one  of  the  girls  to 
Aranyaka’s  distracted  air  ‘ yesterday’  ( hio ,  page  38)  and  to  the 
absent-minded  acting  of  her  role  as  Vasavadatta  in  the  mimic  play 
which  is  about  to  be  given  seem  to  imply  that  the  meeting  with  the 
King  had  taken  place  recently.  The  miniature  play  itself  is  to  be 
performed  ‘today,  at  the  great  KaumudI- f estival ’  ( ajja  .  .  .  ko- 
mudlmahusave ,  page  38)  ;  and  if  Aranyaka  does  not  play  her  part 
better  ‘today’  {ajja,  page  38)  there  is  danger  of  the  Queen’s  dis¬ 
pleasure.  Aranyaka’s  conversation  with  her  confidante  Manorama, 
moreover,  seems  to  imply  that  little  time  could  have  elapsed  since 
the  preceding  Act.  The  disguised  princess  recognizes  the  very 
spot  where  she  had  been  embraced  by  the  King,  as  if  but  shortly 
before  (cf.  aam  so  uddeso  jassim  etc.,  page  40).  The  interval 
was  long  enough,  however,  to  give  a  show  of  credibility  to  the 
exaggerated  statements  about  Aranyaka’s  sighing  ‘  day  and  night  ’ 
(. divasam  rattim,  page  42)  and  also  to  Vasantaka’s  jesting  com¬ 
plaint  that  Vatsa  had  not  slept  ‘day  or  night,’  nor  allowed  him  to 
do  so  (cf.  tena  saha  mae  rattimdivam  nidda  na  ditthd,  page  58), 


lx 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FOUR 


while  the  affairs  of  state  are  simply  neglected  by  the  King  (cf. 
pariccattaraakajjo,  page  42).  In  this  interval,  furthermore,  the 
Jester  has  made  an  unsuccessful  search  for  Aranyaka  in  the 
women’s  apartments  (page  44). 

Act  3. — The  Third  Act  itself  opens  on  the  evening  of  the 
Kaumudl-festival,  the  occasion  when  the  Mimic  Play  is  to  be  pre¬ 
sented  (cf.  adya  ratrau,  page  54,  ajja  .  .  .  komudlmahusave,  page 
38,  and  also  kaumudlmaliotsave,  page  72).  The  autumnal  day  has 
been  a  hot  one  (cf.  saradadavena  samtappidaim  ajja  etc.,  page  40) 
and  the  twilight  is  already  past  by  the  time  they  are  ready  to  begin 
the  performance  of  the  Mimic  Play  (cf.  adikkanta  khu  samjhd, 
page  48) .  By  the  close  of  the  Act  it  is  bedtime  ( idariim  sayanlyam 
gatvd,  page  68).  The  King  retires  for  the  night  planning  some 
means  to  propitiate  his  jealous  Queen,  who  has  hurried  Aranyaka 
and  the  Jester  off  to  prison. 

Time  of  the  Third  Act:  part  of  an  evening,  which  is  devoted  to 
the  incident  of  the  Mimic  Play. 

Slight  interval. — Some  interval,  not  long  however,  separates 
Act  3  from  Act  4.  This  is  shown  especially  by  allusions  in  the 
Introductory  Scene,  or  pravesaka.  Aranyaka  is  now  in  prison  by 
order  of  Vasavadatta,  and,  as  her  confidante  Manorama  says,  has 
been  so  for  some  time  ( ettiam  kdlam,  page  70).  Yet  the  interval 
cannot  have  been  a  long-extended  one,  because  the  Queen’s  allusion 
to  the  incident  between  Aranyaka  and  the  King  in  the  Mimic  Play 
would  seem  to  imply  that  that  occasion  was  more  or  less  recent 
( tuha  una  eso  Aranniae  vuttanto  paccakkho,  page  72).  A  like 
inference  may  be  drawn  from  Sankrtyayanl’s  reference  to  the  same 
episode  during  the  full-moon  festival  (cf .  kaumudlmaliotsave ,  page 
72).  The  only  other  time-allusion  which  needs  mention  in  this 
connection  is  found  in  a  speech  of  the  King.  As  commented  on 
below,  he  says  that  it  is  ‘  several  days  ’  ( katipaydny  ahani,  page  78) 
since  he  received  the  news  of  his  general  Vijayasena’s  expected 
victory  over  Kalinga  and  of  the  impending  rescue  of  the  long- 
imprisoned  Drdhavarman.  Allowing,  therefore,  for  this  slight  in¬ 
terval  we  may  take  up  the  final  Act  of  the  drama. 


DURATION  OF  THE  ACTION 


lxi 


Act  4. — The  importance  of  the  Fourth  Act  with  reference  to 
the  rest  of  the  play  is  that  we  learn  from  its  Introductory  Scene 
that  ‘more  than  a  year’  ( samahio  samvaccharo,  page  70)  has 
elapsed  since  Drdhavarman  was  taken  prisoner  by  Kaliiiga,  the 
hated  foe  against  whom  King  Vatsa  at  the  close  of  Act  1  had 
determined  to  send  his  general  Vijayasena  after  the  victory  over 
Vindhyaketu  had  been  duly  celebrated.  In  the  midst  of  Act  4  the 
King  tells  the  news  which  he  received  from  his  general  ‘  several 
days  ’  before  ( katipayany  ahdni,  page  78),  announcing  that  the  fall 
of  Kalinga  might  be  expected  ‘today  or  tomorrow’  ( adya  svo  vd, 
stanza  5,  page  78).  The  siege  has  apparently  been  a  long  and 
exhausting  one  (cf.  page  78).  At  this  very  moment  the  general 
himself  enters  to  announce  his  triumphal  success.  He  is  accom¬ 
panied  by  Vinayavasu,  the  old  chamberlain  of  Drdhavarman  who 
appeared  in  the  Explanatory  Scene  at  the  opening  of  the  play. 
Through  the  victory  of  Vatsa’s  forces  Drdhavarman  is  reseated  on 
his  throne  (page  80).  On  this  same  occasion  of  news-giving,  the 
old  chamberlain  of  the  restored  monarch  recognizes  Aranyaka  as 
Priyadarsika,  the  lost  daughter  of  Drdhavarman,  and  he  explains 
her  relationship  to  the  Queen,  who  is  her  cousin.  As  the  Fourth 
Act  closes,  Priyadarsika  is  united  to  the  King  as  another  wife,  and 
all  ends  happily  after  the  various  vicissitudes  filling  the  space  of  a 
year  or  more  which  forms  the  time  of  the  action  of  the  play. 

Time  of  the  Fourth  Act:  part  of  a  day. 

SUMMARY  OF  THE  DURATION  OF  THE  ACTION 

Days 

Represented 

Explanatory  Scene  ( viskambhaka )  :  part  of  one  day 

in  the  rainy  season  of  autumn  1 

[Interval  of  several  days] 

Act  1 :  part  of  day,  forenoon  until  mid-day  1 

[Interval  of  at  least  a  year — see  discussion 
above] 

Act  2 :  the  latter  part  of  an  autumn  afternoon  1 

[Interval  —  possibly  a  very  slight  one, 
hardly  more  than  a  couple  of  days] 


lxii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


Act  3 :  part  of  an  evening  during  the  Kaumudl- 

festival  I 

[Only  a  slight  interval] 

Act  4 :  part  of  one  day  i 

Thus  the  whole  action  of  the  play  covers  ‘  more  than  a  year/ 
from  autumn  until  autumn.  The  long  interval  falls  between  Act  I 
and  Act  2.  The  handling  of  events  gives  the  impression  that  they 
have  been  compressed  into  the  space  of  not  much  over  a  year,  so 
as  to  comply  with  certain  rules  of  the  dramatic  canon. 


SOURCES  OF  THE  PLAY,  AND  THE  LEGEND  OF 

UDAYANA 

Importance  of  the  legend  for  the  Priyadarsika.  In  the  In¬ 
duction  of  our  play  (Act  1,  page  4),  it  is  termed  apurvavastnraca- 
nalamkrta,  ‘  graced  by  the  treatment  of  a  novel  subject  ’  or,  perhaps, 
‘  graced  by  a  novel  treatment  of  the  subject/  an  expression  that 
recurs  in  the  Inductions  of  the  other  dramas  ascribed  to  Harsha.1 
The  novelty  to  which  the  author  lays  claim  in  these  words  would 
seem  to  consist  in  his  arrangement  of  the  details  of  the  plot,  for 
the  incidents  in  their  general  outline  are  those  regularly  found  in 
the  natika,  or  romantic  comedy,  namely,  the  love-intrigue  of  a  king 
with  a  disguised  princess,  their  secret  meetings,  the  jealousy  of 
the  chief  queen,  and  her  final  acceptance  of  the  situation  in  the 
last  act,  when  the  heroine  is  discovered  to  be  her  long-lost  cousin. 
Yet,  while  the  course  of  the  action  is  thus  shaped  by  the  writer’s 
invention,  in  accordance  with  the  rules  of  Hindu  dramaturgy,2  the 
theme  in  a  wider  sense  is  related  to  literary  tradition  through  the 
central  character  of  the  hero,  Udayana  Vatsaraja,  4  Udayana,  King 

1  See  note  16  on  Act  1,  below,  p.  99. 

2  See  SD.  539,  natika  klptavrttd  sydt,  ‘the  natika,  should  have  an  invented 
action.’ 


THE  LEGEND  OF  UDAYANA 


lxiii 


of  the  Vatsas,’  the  popularity  of  whose  story  the  dramatist  is  at 
pains  to  attest.3  The  Priyadarsika  is  thus  a  blending  of  old  and 
new  material,  as  is  its  companion  piece,  the  Ratnavall,  and  in  order 
to  realize  the  effect  that  it  was  designed  to  produce  we  must  bring 
before  us  the  legendary  figure  of  the  gay  and  gallant  prince  as 
known  to  Harsha  and  his  circle.  In  fact,  one  long  scene,  that  of 
the  Mimic  Play  in  the  Third  Act,  is  woven  out  of  fragments  of 
the  Udayana  story  in  a  manner  that  presupposes  an  intimate  ac¬ 
quaintance  with  this  on  the  part  of  the  hearers. 

Udayana  as  a  historical  personage.  The  historical  Udayana 
appears  in  the  Puranas  as  a  ruler  of  the  Paurava  dynasty,  who 
traced  their  lineage  back  through  Arjuna,  the  great  hero  of  the 
Mahabharata,  and  who  held  sway  in  KausambI  4  after  Hastina- 
pura,  their  earlier  capital,  had  been  destroyed  by  an  inundation; 
but  the  jejune  chronicles  merely  mention  him  as  the  fifth  from  the 
last  king  of  the  line  and  as  successor  of  Satanlka  and  predecessor 
of  Vahlnara.5  A  passage  in  one  of  the  Buddhist  canonical  writ¬ 
ings  shows  that  he  was  believed  to  have  been  reigning  shortly  after 
the  decease  of  the  Buddha,6  and  consequently  indicates  that  he  was 
a  contemporary  of  Ajatasatru,  king  of  Magadha,  and  Pradyota, 
king  of  Avanti  or  Ujjain,7  even  though  the  earlier  Buddhist  texts 

3  Act  i,  stanza  3 ;  see  page  7,  below. 

4  Regarding  the  site  of  KausambI  see  the  Additional  Note  at  the  end  of 
this  part  of  the  Introduction,  p.  lxxvi,  below. 

5  See  F.  E.  Pargiter,  The  Parana  Text  of  the  Dynasties  of  the  Kali  Age, 
pp.  3-8,  Oxford,  1913,  and  cf.  especially  p.  7,  lines  23-24;  cf.  id.,  Ancient 
Indian  Historical  Tradition,  p.  285,  London,  1922. 

6  Cullavagga  11.  1.  12-15,  ed.  H.  Oldenberg,  The  Vinaya  Pitakam,  2.  290- 
292,  London,  1880;  tr.  Rhys  Davids  and  Oldenberg,  Vinaya  Texts,  part  3, 
pp.  381-385,  Oxford,  1885  ( SBE .  vol.  20).  The  passage  relates  how 
Ananda,  after  the  Council  of  Rajagaha,  visits  KosambI  (KausambI)  in  order 
to  pronounce  sentence  of  excommunication  upon  the  monk  Channa,  preaches 
to  the  ladies  of  the  zenana,  and  explains  to  Udena  (Udayana)  himself  the 
manner  of  disposing  of  the  monks’  worn-out  robes. 

7  See  the  historical  reference  to  the  relations  between  Ajatasatru  and 
Pradyota  in  Majjhima-Nikaya  108  (Gopakamoggallanasutta),  ed.  R.  Chal¬ 
mers,  3.  7,  London,  1899 :  ‘  On  that  occasion  [not  long  after  the  Buddha’s 
decease]  the  king  of  Magadha,  Ajatasattu  the  son  of  the  Videha  princess, 
was  refortifying  Rajagaha,  being  suspicious  of  King  Pajjota.’ 


lxiv 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


do  not  bring  him  into  relation  with  these  sovereigns.8  His  city  of 
KausambI,  however,  which  was  situated  on  a  navigable  river,9  pre¬ 
sumably  the  Jumna,10  was  frequently  visited  by  the  Buddha,  and 
many  sites  there  are  mentioned,  especially  the  Ghositarama  park.11 
Udayana,  or  Udena  (the  form  that  his  name  assumes  in  Pali), 
does  not  receive  the  royal  appellation  Vatsaraja  in  the  earlier 
texts,12  but  his  subjects  are  mentioned,  under  the  name  Vamsa,  as 
one  of  the  sixteen  ‘  great  peoples  ’  of  the  time.13 

Possible  origin  of  the  legend.  We  can  only  conjecture  what 
caused  legend  to  gather  around  the  figure  of  Udayana,  but  even 
in  the  canonical  Pali  writings  there  are  hints  of  amorous  traits 
that  would  make  him  a  suitable  hero  of  romantic  adventures,14  just 
as  his  contemporary  Pradyota  early  gained  an  unenviable  reputa- 

8  The  view  set  forth  by  Harit  Krishna  Deb  ( Udayana  Vatsa-rdja,  9  pp., 
Calcutta,  1919),  that  Udayana  ultimately  extended  his  sway  over  the  king¬ 
doms  of  Magadha  and  Avanti  and  became  the  first  ‘  emperor  ’  of  ‘  Middle 
India,’  rests  upon  a  strained  interpretation  of  variant  readings  in  the  Purana 
texts  of  the  dynastic  lists,  and  finds  no  real  support  in  the  historical  tradition. 

9  See  Cullavagga  11.  1.  12  (cf.  note  6,  above):  navdya  ujjavanikdya 
Kosambiyd  paccorohitvd,  ‘having  disembarked  at  Kosambi  (KausambI) 
from  a  boat  going  up-stream.’ 

10  See  the  Additional  Note  on  the  site  of  KausambI,  p.  lxxvi,  below. 

11  See  the  references  in  E.  Muller,  ‘A  Glossary  of  Pali  Proper  Names/ 
in  Journal  of  the  Pali  Text  Society,  1888,  pp.  26,  30. 

12  He  is  king  of  the  Vatsas  (Vamsas)  in  the  Sanskrit  Buddhist  writings; 
see  Mahavastu,  ed.  E.  Senart,  2.  2,  line  12,  Paris,  1890;  and  cf.  Lalitavistara, 
ed.  S.  Lefmann,  1.  21,  Halle,  1902 ;  tr.  P.  E.  Foucaux,  Annales  du  Musee 
Guimet,  6.  22,  Paris,  1884.  See  also  the  Tibetan  sources  translated  in  W.  W. 
Rockhill,  The  Life  of  the  Buddha,  pp.  16-17,  74,  London,  1884. 

13  See  Anguttara-Nikaya  8.  42.  4;  8.  43.  4;  8.  45.  4,  ed.  E.  Hardy,  4. 
252,  256,  260,  London,  1899.  Compare,  however,  ibid.  3.  70.  17,  ed.  R. 
Morris,  1.  213,  London,  1885,  in  which  passage  the  Vaiigas  are  substituted  in 
the  enumeration. — On  the  Buddhist  sources  in  general  see  Rhys  Davids, 
Buddhist  India,  pp.  3-8,  23,  27,  36,  New  York,  1903;  id.  in  The  Cambridge 
History  of  India,  1.  187-188,  London,  1922. 

14  Cullavagga,  loc.  cit.  (Udayana  converses  with  the  ladies  of  his  zenana)  ; 
Samyutta-Nikaya  35.  127  (Bharadvaja-sutta),  ed.  L.  Feer,  4.  110-113,  Lon¬ 
don,  1894  (he  questions  the  monk  Pindolabharadvaja  about  monastic  chas¬ 
tity)  ;  Udana  7.  10,  ed.  P.  Steinthal,  p.  79,  London,  1885 ;  tr.  D.  M.  Strong, 
pp.  1 09-1 10,  London,  1902  (his  zenana  is  destroyed  by  fire  and  five  hundred 
ladies  perish,  headed  by  Samavati). 


THE  LEGEND  OF  UDAYANA 


lxv 


tion  for  ferocity.15  It  is  therefore  not  surprising  that  popular 
fancy  should  have  woven  a  story  that  brings  the  two  monarchs 
together  in  dramatic  contrast,  narrating  the  capture  of  Udayana 
through  Pradyota’s  stratagem  and  his  subsequent  escape  with  the 
heart  and  hand  of  his  captor’s  daughter  as  a  prize.  And  who  shall 
say,  in  view  of  the  romantic  annals  of  Rajput  chivalry,  that  there 
may  not  have  been  a  kernel  of  truth  in  the  incident?  16 

Literary  sources  for  the  legend.  It  is  unnecessary  here  to  re¬ 
count  the  legend  as  it  is  found  in  the  writings  of  the  Pali  com¬ 
mentators  and  in  those  of  the  Northern  schools  of  Buddhism17; 
for  Harsha,  despite  his  leanings  towards  that  religion,  seems  not 
to  have  drawn  from  its  literary  sources  in  either  of  his  plays  that 

15  See  the  story  of  the  physician  Jivaka,  in  Mahavagga  8.  i.  23-29,  ed. 
H.  Oldenberg,  The  Vinaya  Pitakam,  1.  276-278,  London,  1879;  tr.  Rhys 
Davids  and  Oldenberg,  Vinaya  Texts,  part  2,  pp.  186-191,  Oxford,  1882 
( SBE .  vol.  17).  The  she-elephant  Bhaddavatika,  on  whom  Jivaka  made  his 
escape,  appears  also  in  the  Udayana  legend,  see  p.  lxix,  below,  and  cf.  Jataka 
409  (Dalhadhamma jataka),  ed.  V.  Fausboll,  3.  384-385,  London,  1883;  tr. 
Francis  and  Neil,  3.  233,  Cambridge,  1897. 

16  D.  R.  Bhandarkar,  Lectures  on  the  Ancient  History  of  India,  pp.  58-63, 
Calcutta,  1919,  in  his  summary  of  the  traditions  regarding  Udayana  seems  to 
accept  the  historical  character  of  the  main  events,  relying  especially  on  the 
evidence  of  Bhasa’s  dramas,  cf.  pp.  lxxi-lxxii,  below. 

17  The  fullest  treatment  of  the  Udayana  legend  in  the  Pali  literature  is 
found  in  the  Dhammapada  Commentary  (5th  century  A.D.),  ed.  H.  C. 
Norman,  1.  2.  161-231,  London,  1909;  tr.  E.  W.  Burlingame,  Buddhist 
Legends,  part  1,  pp.  247-293,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1921  (Harvard  Oriental 
Series,  vol.  28).  For  the  account  of  Udayana’s  earlier  years  see  text,  pp. 
161-169,  tr.,  pp.  247-252;  for  his  wooing  of  Vasuladatta,  daughter  of  Canda- 
Pajjota,  see  text,  pp.  191-199,  tr.,  pp.  270-274.  These  portions  of  the  story 
are  also  told  very  briefly  by  Buddhaghosa  in  his  Majjhima-Nikaya  Com¬ 
mentary  entitled  PapancasudanI,  cf.  the  Siamese  edition  (A.B.  2463  =  1920 
A.D.),  3.  300-302.  For  the  allusion  in  the  Jataka  Commentary  see  note  15, 
above. 

The  numerous  references  to  Udayana  in  the  Northern  Buddhist  texts  have 
been  collected  by  F.  Lacote,  Essai  sur  Gunddhya  et  la  Brhatkathd,  pp.  231- 
273,  Paris,  1908;  cf.  especially  the  summary  of  the  episode  of  Vasavadatta 
(pp.  242-244)  extracted  from  the  legends  about  Pradyota  in  the  Kandjur, 
which  have  been  translated  in  full  by  A.  Schiefner,  ‘  Mahakatjajana  und 
Konig  Tshanda-Pradjota,’  Memoires  de  VAcademie  Imperiale  des  Sciences 
de  Saint-Petersbourg,  7th  series,  vol.  22,  no.  7,  pp.  35-40,  St.  Petersburg, 
1876.  See  also  Burlingame,  op.  cit.,  introd.,  pp.  51,  62-63,  for  a  conspectus 
of  the  sources  of  the  whole  story-cycle  of  Udayana. 

5 


lxvi 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


have  Udayana  as  their  hero.  That  the  theme  had  long  had  a  place 
in  the  secular  literature  of  India  is  indicated  by  the  statement  of 
Iiarsha  himself,18  by  its  employment  in  two  dramas  of  the  early 
poet  Bhasa,  the  Svapnavasavadatta  and  the  Pratijnayaugandhara- 
yana,19  and  by  incidental  references  to  it  in  such  technical  treatises 
as  the  Kautillya  Arthasastra  20  and  Patanjali’s  Mahabhasya,21  as 
well  as  by  the  more  literary  allusions  in  the  Mrcchakatika  22  and 

18  Act  i,  stanza  3:  ‘The  story  of  Vatsaraja  is  a  popular  subject.’ 

16  The  Svapnavasavadatta  and  the  Pratijnayaugandharayana  have  been 
edited  by  T.  Ganapati  Sastri  in  the  Trivandrum  Sanskrit  Series,  nos.  15  and 
16,  Trivandrum,  1912;  also  3d  ed.,  with  commentary  by  the  editor,  in  1916 
and  1920  respectively.  The  authenticity  of  these  as  well  as  of  the  other 
dramas  ascribed  to  Bhasa  has  been  questioned,  cf.  Bhattanatha  Svamin,  IA. 
45.  189-195  (1916);  L.  D.  Barnett,  JRAS.  1919,  pp.  233-234;  ibid.  1921, 
pp.  587-589.  The  weight  of  opinion,  however,  is  in  favor  of  accepting  them 
as  genuine,  cf.  Konow,  Das  indische  Drama ,  pp.  51-56;  F.  W.  Thomas, 
JRAS.  1922,  pp.  79-83 ;  M.  Winternitz,  Geschichte  der  indischen  Litteratur , 
3.  644-645,  Leipzig,  [1922].  Bhasa  flourished  after  Asvaghosa  and  before 
Kalidasa,  between  the  end  of  the  2d  century  A.D.  (so  Konow,  op.  cit.,  p.  51 ; 
id.,  Aufsdtse  .  .  .  Ernst  Kuhn  .  .  .  gewidmet,  pp.  106-114,  Miinchen,  1916) 
and  the  beginning  of  the  4th  century  (Winternitz,  op.  cit.,  pp.  186-187;  id., 
Ostasiatische  Zeitschrift,  9.  282-299,  Berlin,  1922). 

20  See  Arthasastra,  book  9,  ch.  7,  ed.  R.  Shama  Sastri,  2d  ed.,  p.  360, 
Mysore,  1919 :  drsta  hi  jivatah  punardvrttih,  yathd  Suyatrodayanabhyam, 
‘  for  the  return  [to  power]  of  one  living  has  been  witnessed,  as  in  the  case 
of  Suyatra  and  Udayana.’  It  is  not  certain  that  this  work  as  a  whole  goes 
back  to  the  time  of  its  reputed  author  Canakya  (c.  320  B.C.),  cf.  A.  B. 
Keith,  JRAS.  1916,  pp.  130-137;  A.  Hillebrandt,  ZDMG.  69.  360-364;  Win¬ 
ternitz,  Gesch.  d.  ind.  Litt.  3.  517-523;  but  it  is  in  any  case  anterior  to 
Harsha  by  some  centuries.  On  the  employment  of  such  quasi-historical 
examples  in  the  Arthasastra  cf.  J.  Charpentier,  ‘  Sagengeschichtliches  aus 
dem  Arthasastra,’  WZKM.  28.  21 1-240,  esp.  pp.  219,  239. 

21  Mahabhasya,  ed.  Kielhorn,  2.  313,  Bombay,  1883,  in  commenting  on 
Panini  4.  3.  87,  mentions  an  akhydyikd  or  ‘tale’  called  Vasavadatta  after  its 
heroine;  and  Vasavadattika  is  the  name  for  one  who  is  familiar  with  it, 
ibid.  2.  283-284  (on  Panini  4.  2.  60).  That  this  Vasavadatta  is  the  same  as 
the  bride  of  Udayana  cannot  be  definitely  proved,  but  it  is  at  least  highly 
probable. 

22  See  Mrcchakatika,  act  4,  stanza  26c,  d,  ed.  N.  B.  Godabole,  p.  190, 
Bombay,  1896  (=ed.  K.  P.  Parab,  p.  113,  Bombay,  1900):  jhdtln  .  .  . 
uttejaydmi  suhrdah  parimoksanaya  |  Yaugandharayana  ivo  ’ dayanasya 
rdjhah,  ‘  The  kinsmen  ...  I  will  arouse  for  the  deliverance  of  my  friend 
as  Yaugandharayana  did  for  that  of  King  Udayana.’  This  stanza  occurs  in 


THE  LEGEND  OF  UDAYANA 


lxvii 


in  Kalidasa’s  Meghaduta.23  Yet,  as  chance  would  have  it,  we 
must  follow  the  main  current  of  Sanskrit  literature  down  to  the 
eleventh  century  before  we  find  a  consecutive  presentation  of  the 
tale  in  two  works  by  Kashmirian  writers,  the  famous  Kathasarit- 
sagara  of  Somadeva  (written  between  1063  and  1081  A.D.)  and  the 
slightly  earlier  Brhatkathamanjarl  of  Ksemendra.  Both  profess 
to  be  abridgments  of  the  ancient  Brhatkatha,  or  ‘  Great  Story,’ 
composed  by  Gunadhya  in  Paisaci  Prakrit 24 ;  but  it  has  been  shown 
by  Lacote  that  they  represent  in  fact  a  much  altered  Kashmirian 
adaptation  of  it,  and  that  another  abridgment  recently  brought  to 
light,  the  Brhatkatha-slokasamgraha  of  Budhasvamin  (probably 
earlier  than  1000  A.D.),  is  closer  to  the  antique  original.25  Since, 
however,  this  last-named  work  passes  over  the  story  of  Udayana, 
we  must  have  recourse  to  the  Kashmirian  accounts,  more  especially 
to  the  fuller  one  of  Somadeva,  even  if  their  testimony  is  always  to 
be  accepted  with  reserve.26 

The  narrative  of  the  Kathasaritsagara.  According  to  the 

one  of  the  Aryaka  episodes  of  the  play  and  is  not  found  in  the  Daridracaru- 
datta  of  Bhasa. 

23  See  Meghaduta,  1.  30a,  ed.  Godabole  and  Paraba,  2d  ed.,  p.  24,  Bombay, 
1886:  prdpyd  ’vantm  Udayanakathakovidagramavrddhan,  ‘reaching  Avanti, 
whose  village  elders  are  conversant  with  the  story  of  Udayana.’  The  second 
of  the  interpolated  stanzas  following  1.  31  {ibid.  p.  26)  contains  a  reference 
to  Udayana’s  elopement  with  Vasavadatta  and  to  the  fury  of  the  elephant 
Nalagiri,  cf.  Act  3,  page  49,  below. 

24  Concerning  the  original  work  of  Gunadhya,  who  must  have  flourished 
not  later  than  the  3d  century  A.D.,  see  F.  Lacote,  Essai  sur  Gunadhya  et  la 
Brhatkatha ,  pp.  1-59;  Winternitz,  Gesch.  d.  ind.  Litt.  3.  312-315. 

25  See  the  careful  discussion  by  Lacote,  op.  cit.,  pp.  61-145  (the  Kash¬ 
mirian  versions),  pp.  146-195  (the  Brhatkatha-slokasamgraha),  pp.  207-218 
(comparison  of  the  faithfulness  of  the  two  recensions).  Winternitz,  op. 
cit.,  pp.  31 5-317,  considers  that  Budhasvamin  is  an  independent  author  rather 
than  a  mere  epitomator,  though  he  has  probably  adhered  to  Gunadhya’s 
narrative  in  the  main. 

26  It  is  also  possible  that  the  legend  of  Udayana  existed  as  an  independent 
literary  work  apart  from  the  Brhatkatha;  for  an  Udayanacarita  is  men¬ 
tioned  in  the  commentary  on  Dasarupa,  ed.  Parab,  2.  57,  p.  75,  Bombay,  1897 
(cf.  ed.  Haas,  p.  xxxviii).  There  is,  however,  nothing  to  indicate  whether 
this  was  a  drama,  as  Levi  ( Le  Theatre  indien,  part  2,  p.  39)  seems  to 
assume,  or  a  work  in  narrative  form. 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


lxviii 

Kathasaritsagara,27  Udayana  was  the  grandson  of  Satanlka  and 
the  son  of  Sahasranlka,  who  were  in  succession  rulers  of  Kau- 
sambi  in  the  land  of  Vatsa.  While  the  latter’s  queen  Mrgavatl 
was  pregnant,  she  was  snatched  away  by  a  great  bird  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  a  curse  and  was  abandoned  on  the  ‘  Sunrise  Mountain  ’ 
(Udayaparvata),  where  she  brought  forth  her  son  Udayana  under 
the  protection  of  the  hermit  Jamadagni.  One  day,  as  the  growing 
boy  was  wandering  in  the  forest,  he  rescued  a  beautiful  snake  from 
a  snake-charmer  by  giving  the  man  a  bracelet  on  which  the  name 
of  Sahasranlka  happened  to  be  inscribed.  The  grateful  serpent, 
who  was  none  other  than  Vasunemi,  the  eldest  brother  of  Vasuki, 
chief  of  the  snake-deities,  rewarded  Udayana  with  the  gift  of  a 
lute  and  with  the  bestowal  of  various  magical  powers.  Thereupon, 
through  the  bracelet’s  coming  into  the  king’s  hands,  the  latter  dis¬ 
covered  the  whereabouts  of  his  wife  and  his  son,  and  set  out  to 
seek  them.  After  joining  them  at  the  hermitage,  he  returned  in 
pomp  to  KausambI  and  made  Udayana  crown-prince,  giving  him 
as  counselors  Vasantaka,  Rumanvant,  and  Yaugandharayana,  who 
were  the  sons  respectively  of  the  king’s  boon  companion,  of  his 
commander-in-chief,  and  of  his  prime  minister.  At  length,  on  the 
approach  of  old  age,  Sahasranlka  abdicated  in  the  prince’s  favor.28 

After  his  accession,  Udayana  gradually  gave  himself  up  to 
pleasure,  especially  that  of  the  chase,  and  delighted  in  taming  wild 
elephants  by  the  strains  of  his  lute  Ghosavatl.  He  set  his  heart 
on  obtaining  for  a  wife  Vasavadatta,  daughter  of  the  stern  King 
Candamahasena  of  Ujjain  and  of  his  queen  Angaravatl;  but  the 
enmity  between  the  two  monarchs  prevented  the  consummation  of 
the  alliance  by  diplomatic  means.29  Candamahasena  therefore  had 
recourse  to  stratagem.  Knowing  Udayana’s  weakness  for  hunting, 
he  had  an  artificial  elephant  constructed  and  stationed  it,  filled  with 
soldiers,  in  the  Vindhya  forest.  Udayana  immediately  set  out  to 

27  Ed.  Durgaprasad  and  Parab,  Bombay,  1889;  tr.  C.  H.  Tawney,  2  vols., 
Calcutta,  1880-1884. 

28  For  the  foregoing  account,  see  tarangas  9  (Skt.  text,  pp.  28-31 ;  tr. 
Tawney,  1.  51-56)  and  10.  202-217  (Skt.  text,  p.  37;  tr.  Tawney,  1.  66-67). 

29  See  tar.  11  (Skt.  text,  pp.  37-40;  tr.  Tawney,  1.  67-71). 


THE  LEGEND  OF  UDAYANA 


lxix 


tame  the  supposed  elephant  with  his  lute  and  was  seized  by  the 
concealed  warriors  of  his  adversary.  He  was  brought  captive  to 
Ujjain,  but  was  kindly  treated  by  Candamahasena,  who  at  once 
ordered  him  to  teach  Vasavadatta  music.  The  lessons  were  given 
in  the  music-room  of  the  palace,  but  love  was  the  unspoken  theme.30 

Meanwhile  the  minister  Yaugandharayana,  on  learning  of  his 
master’s  captivity,  had  gone  to  rescue  him  in  company  with  Vasan- 
taka,  leaving  Rumanvant  in  charge  of  the  kingdom.  Arriving  at 
Ujjain,  Yaugandharayana  by  means  of  a  charm  altered  his  appear¬ 
ance  to  that  of  a  madman  and  likewise  gave  Vasantaka  a  deformed 
shape.  In  this  guise  they  penetrated  into  the  zenana  and  made 
themselves  known  to  the  fettered  king,  the  minister  in  order  to 
concert  plans  for  his  escape,  the  jester  to  entertain  him  and  Vasa¬ 
vadatta  with  tales.31 

When  the  princess  had  at  length  been  won  to  side  with  Udayana 
against  her  father,  the  lovers  fled  away  by  night  on  her  elephant 
Bhadravatl,  the  way  having  been  prepared  by  the  schemes  of 
Yaugandharayana.  With  them  went  the  faithful  Vasantaka  and 
Kancanamala,  the  friend  and  confidante  of  Vasavadatta.  As  soon 
as  the  alarm  was  given,  Palaka,  the  son  of  Candamahasena,  pur¬ 
sued  the  fugitives  on  the  royal  elephant  Nadagiri,  but  the  latter 
refused  to  attack  his  mate,  and  Palaka  was  induced  to  turn  back 
by  the  persuasions  of  his  brother  Gopalaka.  Udayana  and  his 
bride,  after  suffering  hardship  in  the  Vindhya  forest,  were  met  by 
Rumanvant  with  the  army  and  escorted  to  KausambI,  where  their 
nuptials  were  formally  celebrated  with  the  approval  of  Canda¬ 
mahasena.32 

The  subsequent  history  of  Udayana  as  related  in  the  Katha- 
saritsagara  has  but  few  points  of  contact  with  our  play.  Sum¬ 
mary  mention  is  made  of  two  intrigues  of  the  king,  with  the  harem- 
attendant  Viracita  and  the  captive  princess  Bandhumatl,  and  in 
the  latter  case  the  intervention  of  the  female  ascetic  Sankrtyayanl, 

30  See  tar.  12.  1-33  (Skt.  text,  pp.  40-41;  tr.  Tawney,  1.  72-73)- 

31  See  tar.  12.  34-77  (Skt.  text,  pp.  41-42;  tr.  Tawney,  1.  73~75)- 

32  See  tar.  13.  1-50  (Skt.  text,  pp.  46-47;  tr.  Tawney,  1.  82-84)  and  14 

1-32  (Skt.  text,  pp.  52-53;  tr.  Tawney,  1.  94-95) • 


lxx 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


who  was  a  friend  of  Vasavadatta  and  had  come  from  her  father's 
court,  is  said  to  have  effected  a  general  reconciliation.33  Tarangas 
15  and  16  are  occupied  with  the  story  of  Udayana’s  marriage  with 
Padmavatl  after  the  pretended  death  of  Vasavadatta,  which  is  the 
theme  of  Bhasa’s  Svapnavasavadatta  and  of  the  Tapasavatsaraja- 
carita  of  Anangaharsa  Matraraja.34  In  the  Ratnavali  the  report 
of  Vasavadatta’s  death  by  fire  is  alluded  to  several  times  in  another 
connection,35  but  the  Priyadarsika  merely  mentions  the  name  of 
Queen  Padmavatl  once  (Act  3,  page  45). 

The  Brhatkathamanjarl.  The  legend  as  thus  told  in  the  Katha- 
saritsagara  is  found  also  in  Book  2  of  the  Brhatkathamanjarl,36 
with  less  detail  but  without  significant  variation  except  in  one  par¬ 
ticular.  According  to  Ksemendra’s  account,  the  serpent  who  was 
rescued  by  the  youthful  Udayana  took  him  to  Patala,  the  abode  of 
the  snake-deities,  where  he  married  a  female  Naga  and  obtained 
his  lute  Ghosavati.37 

Incidental  references  in  the  Brhatkatha-slokasamgraha.  Un¬ 
like  the  Kashmirian  versions,  the  more  faithful  abridgment  of  the 
Brhatkatha  known  as  the  Brhatkatha-slokasamgraha  does  not  re¬ 
late  the  story  of  Udayana,  but  it  furnishes  some  significant  details 
about  various  of  its  personages  and  episodes.38  Thus  the  events 
connected  with  the  birth  and  early  years  of  Udayana  are  narrated 

33  See  tar.  14.  65-72  (Skt.  text,  p.  54;  tr.  Tawnev,  1.  97).  The  incident 
of  Bandhumatl  has  some  resemblance  to  the  plot  of  the  Priyadarsika ;  thus 
the  king  accompanied  by  Vasantaka  sees  the  heroine  in  an  arbor,  and  the 
queen  is  angry  and  has  Vasantaka  imprisoned.  Other  details  are  unlike, 
however,  and  it  is  improbable  that  we  have  here  the  source  of  the  plot,  as 
has  been  suggested  by  Krishnamachariar,  Priyadarsika ,  introd.,  p.  xlii;  cf. 
Lacote,  Essai,  p.  71. 

34  This  author  flourished  between  650  and  800  A.D.,  cf.  Konow,  Das 
indische  Drama,  p.  82;  and  he  is  mentioned  by  Damodaragupta  (800  A.D.) 
in  his  Kuttanimata  777,  cf.  page  xli,  note  25,  above. 

35  See  Ratnavali,  ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  act  4,  pp.  72,  73,  79. 

36  Ed.  Sivadatta  and  Parab,  pp.  33-68,  Bombay,  1901. 

37  See  Brhatkathamanjarl,  2.  1.  56-60,  p.  38. 

38  The  text  of  the  Brhatkatha-slokasamgraha  is  incomplete,  only  28  cantos 
or  1  sargas  *  being  extant,  of  which  the  first  nine  have  been  edited  and  trans¬ 
lated  by  F.  Lacote,  Budhasvamin,  Brhat-Kathd  Qlokasamgraha  I-IX,  Paris, 
1908.  See  also  p.  lxvii,  above,  and  note  25  thereon. 


THE  LEGEND  OF  UDAYANA 


lxxi 


at  length,39  including  his  visits  to  the  city  of  the  Serpents  and  his 
acquisition  there  of  the  magic  lute  Ghosavatl  and  of  the  art  of 
taming  elephants.40  His  two  queens  Vasavadatta  and  Padmavatl 
are  often  mentioned,  as  well  as  his  four  ministers  Rsabha,  Ruman- 
vant,  Yaugandharayana,  and  Vasantaka.41  In  the  royal  family  of 
Ujjain  we  hear  of  Mahasena,  who  is  also  called  Pradyota,  as  in 
the  Buddhist  forms  of  the  legend,42  and  of  his  queen  Aiigaravati.43 
In  one  passage  there  is  a  covert  allusion  to  Udayana’s  elopement 
with  Vasavadatta,44  and  the  elephants  Bhadravati  and  Nalagiri, 
which  figure  in  the  Kathasaritsagara  account  of  it,  are  mentioned 
in  a  way  that  proves  them  to  have  had  a  similar  part  in  the  earlier 
Brhatkatha.45 

The  testimony  of  Bhasa’s  plays.  Another  witness  to  the  legend 
in  its  more  antique  form  may  be  found  in  the  two  plays  by  Bhasa 
already  mentioned,  Svapnavasavadatta  and  Pratijnayaugandhara- 
yana  46 ;  but  in  dealing  with  these  one  must  reckon  with  the  possi¬ 
bility  that  the  dramatist  may  have  recast  the  story  to  satisfy  the 
exigencies  of  his  plots.  Yet,  as  Lacote  has  pointed  out  with  regard 
to  the  former,47  the  allusive  way  in  which  Bhasa  develops  his  theme 
proves  that  it  was  already  familiar  to  his  hearers,  and  the  details 
that  he  casually  introduces  are  therefore  likely  to  be  derived  from 
the  popular  tradition.  Leaving  aside  the  Svapnavasavadatta,  which 
concerns  a  later  period  of  Udayana’s  career,  we  find  in  the  Pra- 
tijnayaugandharayana  that  his  capture  through  the  stratagem  of 
Mahasena  (or  Pradyota,  as  he  is  also  called)  is  the  incident  from 

39  Sarga  5.  89-174  (text,  pp.  56-63;  tr.,  pp.  32-37). 

40  Cf.  ibid.  5.  138-151;  also  2.  41,  where  King  Palaka,  son  of  Mahasena, 
says  that  Vatsaraja  taught  him  the  lore  of  elephants. 

41  See  especially  sarga  4.  18-20;  also,  for  Vasantaka  as  the  boon  com¬ 
panion  of  the  king,  4.  69;  5.  191. 

42  Sargas  1.  5-10,  34-48;  2.  48-73;  5-  285-295. 

43  Sarga  3.  27-40,  78-79. 

44  See  5.  293,  where  Udayana,  in  addressing  his  father-in-law,  calls  him¬ 
self  ‘  a  thief,’  caura. 

45  Sarga  5.  316-318. 

46  See  p.  lxvi,  note  19,  above. 

47  ‘  La  source  de  la  Vasavadatta  de  Bhasa,’  Journal  Asiatique,  1919,  1. 
493-525,  esp.  pp.  496-498. 


lxxii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


which  the  entire  action  develops ;  but  the  whole  affair  has  a  more 
serious  cast  than  in  the  Kathasaritsagara  account.  There  had  been 
no  previous  negotiations  by  Udayana  for  Vasavadatta’s  hand,  and 
Mahasena’s  purpose  in  seizing  him  was  the  crushing  of  a  proud 
and  dangerous  enemy.48  The  king  relents,  indeed,  when  his  cap¬ 
tive  is  brought  to  him  severely  wounded,  but  he  nevertheless  keeps 
Vatsaraja  in  close  confinement.49  It  is  through  an  accident  that 
the  prisoner  sees  Vasavadatta  and  falls  in  love  with  her;  and  he 
apparently  obtains  his  position  as  her  music- teacher  only  after  he 
has  tamed  the  royal  elephant  Nalagiri  in  consequence  of  a  scheme 
devised  by  Yaugandharayana.50  We  may  therefore  hazard  the 
conjecture  that  this  more  dramatic  version  of  the  story,  which  in 
its  emphasis  upon  Udayana’s  mastery  of  elephants  accords  with 
the  Brhatkatha-slokasamgraha,  contains  at  least  some  older  ele¬ 
ments  that  have  been  effaced  in  the  Kashmirian  redaction  of  the 
Brhatkatha.51 

Jain  accounts  of  the  legend.  Attention  may  here  be  called  to 
the  occurrence  of  the  Udayana  legend  in  several  Jain  works,  namely 
the  Trisastisalakapurusacarita  of  Hemacandra  (12th  century),  the 
Kumarapalapratibodha  of  Somaprabha  (1195  A.D.),52  and  the 
Mrgavatlcaritra  of  Maladhari-Devaprabha  (13th  century).53  It 

48  Act  2,  pp.  25,  32-34  (ed.  T.  Ganapati  Sastri,  Trivandrum,  1912).  It 
must  be  observed  that  in  Svapnavasavadatta,  act  6,  p.  78,  Queen  Ahgaravati, 
in  a  message  to  Vatsaraja,  says  that  he  was  brought  to  Ujjain  in  order  that 
he  might  marry  Vasavadatta;  but  the  contradiction  may  be  explained  through 
the  Queen’s  desiring  to  put  the  best  face  on  the  matter,  cf.  Pratijna.,  act  4, 
p.  72. 

49  Act  2,  p.  38 ;  act  3,  pp.  47-48. 

50  Act  3,  pp.  49-51 ;  act  4,  p.  70. 

51  Lacote,  in  the  article  cited  above,  note  47,  has  shown  that  the  episode  of 
the  wooing  of  Padmavatl  has  been  similarly  remodeled  in  the  Kathasarit¬ 
sagara. 

52  Ed.  Muniraja  Jinavijaya,  pp.  76-83,  Baroda,  1920  (Gaekwad’s  Oriental 
Series,  no.  14)  ;  cf.  P.  D.  Gune,  Annals  of  the  Bhandarkar  Institute,  2. 
1-21,  Poona,  1920-1921,  who  gives  a  summary  of  Somaprabha’s  account  and 
compares  it  with  the  Pratij  nayaugandharayana  and  the  Kathasaritsagara. 
According  to  Gune,  p.  1,  note,  Hemacandra’s  work  contains  the  same  legend 
in  a  more  detailed  form. 

53  Summarized  by  J.  Hertel,  ‘Jniaklrtis  “  Geschichte  von  Pala  und 


THE  LEGEND  OF  UDAYANA 


lxxiii 


seems  unnecessary,  however,  to  analyze  the  contents  of  these  nar¬ 
ratives,  which  produce  the  impression  of  being  centos  from  various 
sources  and  which  present  no  traits  that  closely  parallel  the  allu¬ 
sions  in  the  plays  of  Harsha.54 

Employment  of  the  legend  in  Harsha’s  plays.  Using  as  a 
background  the  foregoing  sketch  of  the  story  of  Udayana  as  it  is 
more  or  less  fully  told  in  the  various  sources,  we  may  proceed  to 
fit  into  it  the  fragments  of  character  and  of  incident  that  Harsha 
uses  in  the  Priyadarsika.  The  scantier  allusions  in  the  Ratnavall 
may  also  be  cited  here  as  helping  in  some  measure  to  fill  out  the 
picture. 

Characters  from  the  legend.  The  list  of  characters  in  each 
play  exhibits  Udayana  Vatsaraja55  as  the  hero  with  the  Jester 
Vasantaka  as  his  boon  companion,  and  Vasavadatta  as  his  chief 
queen  with  Rancanamala  for  her  principal  attendant,  all  in  exact 
conformity  with  the  legend.  His  chief  councilors  Yaugandhara- 
yana  and  Rumanvant  also  figure  in  the  two  plays,  but  their  roles 
in  each  show  a  noteworthy  difference.  In  Ratnavall,  as  in  Katha- 
saritsagara  and  the  other  sources,  Yaugandharayana  is  the  astute 
minister  who  conducts  the  intrigue  and  Rumanvant  is  merely  men¬ 
tioned  as  a  victorious  general.56  The  Priyadarsika,  however,  in¬ 
troduces  Rumanvant  as  ‘  minister  ’  ( amdtya )  in  Act  i  and  gives 
the  part  of  general  to  a  new  personage,  Vijayasena.  Yaugan- 

Gopala,”  ’  Berichte  iiber  die  Verhandlungen  der  Kgl.  Sdchsischen  Gesellsch. 
d.  Wiss.  zu  Leipzig ,  Phil.-hist.  Klasse,  69.  4.  105-123,  Leipzig,  1917. 

54  Hertel,  op.  cit.,  pp.  148-149,  calls  Devaprabha’s  account  a  new  and  inde¬ 
pendent  source  of  equal  rank  with  the  Brahmanical  and  the  Buddhistic  ver¬ 
sions,  and  says  that  Harsha’s  dramas  are  ‘  completely  worthless  for  the 
determination  of  the  original  form  of  the  legend  ’ ;  but  the  Mrgavaticaritra 
shows  in  parts  a  very  close  resemblance  to  the  Kathasaritsagara  and  the 
Tapasavatsarajacarita  (see  p.  lxx,  note  34,  above),  while  other  portions  are 
reminiscent  of  the  Buddhist  story. 

55  Since  the  scene  in  each  case  is  at  the  court  of  the  hero,  he  is  usually 
styled  Vatsaraja,  his  throne-name,  but  is  sometimes  called  Udayana  by  out¬ 
siders,  such  as  the  chamberlain  of  Mahasena  in  the  Mimic  Play  (Priya., 
Act  3,  p.  51),  which  is  itself  entitled  ‘The  Adventure  of  Udayana’  {ibid. 
p.  55).  See  also  Ratn.,  act  1,  p.  15,  ed.  Godabole  and  Parab  (speech  of  the 
heroine),  and  the  punning  stanza  (24)  immediately  preceding. 

56  See  Ratn.,  act  1,  explanatory  scene,  and  act  4. 


lxxiv 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


dharayana  is  mentioned  only  once,  in  the  Mimic  Play  (Act  3, 
p.  57).  Perhaps  the  simplest  explanation  would  be  that  the  plot 
of  the  Priyadarsika  afforded  no  opportunity  for  the  display  of 
Yaugandharayana’s  traditional  cunning,  and  the  dramatist  conse¬ 
quently  thought  it  better  to  omit  entirely  a  character  that  could  not 
be  adequately  portrayed.  Of  the  other  subsidiary  personages, 
SahkrtyayanI,  the  friend  of  the  Queen  and  author  of  the  Mimic 
Play,  appears  in  a  very  much  abridged  episode  of  the  Katha- 
saritsagara  57 ;  and  it  is  scarcely  a  mere  coincidence  that  the  Por¬ 
tress  should  be  named  Yasodhara  both  in  the  Priyadarsika  and  in 
the  Brhatkatha-slokasamgraha  (4.  26).  Vasavadatta’s  father,  who 
figures  so  prominently  in  the  legend,  is  spoken  of  several  times 
under  the  name  Pradyota,58  as  in  the  older  sources  (Bhasa,  Brhat¬ 
katha-slokasamgraha),  though  he  is  also  called  by  his  throne-name 
Mahasena  in  the  Mimic  Play  (Priya.,  p.  49)  ;  and  a  letter  from 
his  queen,  Angaravatl,59  contributes  to  the  denouement  in  the  last 
act  of  our  drama.  Finally,  Vatsaraja’s  second  wife,  Padmavati, 
is  named  once  in  the  Priyadarsika  (Act  3,  p.  45),  as  if  to  show 
that  Harsha  was  acquainted  with  her  story,60  even  if  he  could  not 
introduce  it  into  his  plot. 

Incidents  derived  from  the  legend.  While  in  both  Priyadar¬ 
sika  and  Ratnavali  the  characters  of  the  hero  and  the  chief  mem¬ 
bers  of  his  entourage  are  thus  in  a  measure  traditional,  the  main 
action  in  each  play  centers  about  the  heroine  and  is  independent  of 
the  legend.  Yet  there  are,  especially  in  the  Priyadarsika,  some 
passages  that  hark  back  to  it,  mostly  in  the  opening  scenes  of  Act  1 
and  in  the  Mimic  Play  of  Act  3.  We  are  told  in  the  Explanatory 
Scene  of  Act  1  (p.  9)  that  ‘  Vatsaraja  has  escaped  from  captivity, 
carrying  off  the  daughter  of  Pradyota,  and  has  reached  KausambI/ 
and  the  same  events  are  punningly  alluded  to  in  the  following 
stanza  (1.  5).  When  Vatsaraja  himself  and  the  Jester  appear  on 
the  scene  (pp.  11-13),  their  first  conversation  concerns  this  same 
captivity  and  the  wooing  of  Vasavadatta.  The  Mimic  Play  actu- 

67  See  pp.  lxix-lxx,  above. 

58  Priya.,  pp.  9,  13,  57;  Ratn.,  p.  4  (at  p.  75  he  is  merely  ‘king  of 
Avanti  ’). 

69  Her  name  appears  in  Priya.,  p.  71. 

60  See  p.  lxx,  above. 


THE  LEGEND  OF  UDAYANA 


lxxv 


ally  purports  to  depict  this  incident,  but  it  is  presented  in  such  a 
fragmentary  way  that  one  can  do  no  more  than  observe  its  general 
resemblance  to  the  account  in  the  Kathasaritsagara.61  Thus  the 
scene  is  in  the  ‘  music-room  ’  of  Mahasena’s  palace,  Vasavadatta 
holds  the  lute  Ghosavati,  Vatsaraja  is  called  ‘  music-teacher,’  and 
there  is  even  mention  of  a  *  crazy  fellow,’  who  is  doubtless  the 
disguised  Yaugandharayana  (pp.  51-53).  There  is  agreement, 
too,  in  the  particular  that  Vatsaraja  was  in  fetters  when  he  taught 
Vasavadatta  to  play  the  lute  (p.  57).  Earlier  in  Act  3  there  is 
also  an  allusion  to  Mahasena’s  delight  at  Vatsaraja’s  ‘  capture  of 
Nalagiri  ’  (p.  49),  an  incident  not  described  in  the  Kathasarit¬ 
sagara,  but  hinted  at  in  the  Pratijnayaugandharayana,  pp.  49,  70. 
Of  the  events  in  the  hero’s  youth  only  one  is  mentioned  in  the 
Priyadarsika,  his  visit  to  the  abode  of  the  Nagas  62  (Act  2,  stanza 
6,  pp.  27-29),  where,  as  another  passage  says  (Act  4,  p.  85),  he 
acquired  the  knowledge  of  poisons  and  their  antidotes.  We  have 
no  means  of  knowing  whether  this  last  detail  belongs  to  the  origi¬ 
nal  story  or  is  invented  for  dramatic  convenience  in  resuscitating 
the  heroine. 

The  Ratnavall  contains  one  other  allusion  to  a  legendary  incident, 
the  pretended  burning  of  Queen  Vasavadatta  at  Lavanaka63;  but 
this  in  the  play  is  disjoined  from  the  wooing  of  Padmavatl  and  is 
brought  into  relation  with  the  fortunes  of  the  heroine  Ratnavall 
herself. 

It  would  be  futile,  in  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge,  to 
attempt  to  reconstruct  the  precise  version  of  the  Udayana  legend 
that  Harsha  followed,  and  the  inquiry  would  not  greatly  profit  in 
any  event,  for  the  stories  of  the  Brhatkatha,  not  possessing  any 
sacred  character,  might  have  been  freely  handled  by  any  writer 
who  chose  to  use  them.  It  is  enough  to  have  pointed  out  the 
general  outlines  of  the  story  that  must  have  been  familiar  to  every 
cultivated  audience  in  Harsha’s  day,  so  that  the  modern  reader 
may  feel  something  of  the  pleasure  that  comes  when  the  heroes  of 
old  time  are  brought  to  life  once  more  upon  the  stage. 

61  See  pp.  lxviii-lxix,  above. 

62  See  pp.  Ixx,  lxxi,  above ;  cf .  also  Ratn.,  act  1,  st.  13. 

63  Ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  pp.  72,  73,  79 ;  cf .  p.  Ixx,  above. 


lxxvi 


INTRODUCTION— PART  FIVE 


ADDITIONAL  NOTE  ON  THE  SITE  OF  KAUSAMBI 

Like  so  many  famous  cities  of  ancient  India,  Kausambi  declined  in  impor¬ 
tance  during  the  centuries  following  the  Christian  era,  and  in  Muhammadan 
times  it  fell  into  utter  ruin,  so  that  even  the  memory  of  its  site  passed  out 
of  general  knowledge.  In  1861  Cunningham  was  led  to  identify  it  with  the 
extensive  remains  at  the  modern  villages  of  Kosam  on  the  Jumna,  about 
30  miles  above  Allahabad  (see  Archaeological  Survey  of  India,  Reports,  1. 
301-312,  Simla,  1871)  ;  and  he  corroborated  this  conclusion  on  his  subsequent 
visits  (cf.  ibid.  10.  1-5;  21.  1-3;  also  Fiihrer,  Arch.  Survey  Reports,  New 
Imperial  Series,  12.  140-143).  This  identification  was  first  challenged  by 
Vincent  Smith  (JR AS.  1898,  pp.  503-519),  on  the  ground  that  it  did  not 
agree  with  the  data  of  Hsuan-Chuang’s  itinerary,  which  seem  to  place 
Kausambi  about  500  li  (approximately  84  to  100  miles)  south-west  of 
Prayaga  or  Allahabad  (see  Si-yu-ki,  Buddhist  Records  of  the  Western 
World,  tr.  S.  Beal,  1.  234-239,  London,  1906;  Life  of  Hiuen-Tsiang,  tr. 
Beal,  new  ed.,  pp.  90-91,  190,  London,  1911).  Smith  therefore  suggested 
that  the  famous  Buddhist  ruins  at  Bharhut  (Bharahat)  might  be  the  site. 
Vost  (JR AS.  1904,  pp.  249-267)  and  Watters  (On  Yuan  Chwang’s  Travels, 

I.  365-372)  agree  with  Smith  in  rejecting  the  claims  of  Kosam,  though  not 
accepting  his  alternative  suggestion. 

In  favor  of  Cunningham’s  view  the  following  considerations  may  be  pre¬ 
sented  as  outweighing  even  the  apparently  adverse  testimony  of  Hsuan- 
Chuang. 

The  Pali  texts  speak  of  Kosambi,  or  Kausambi,  as  being  on  a  navigable 
river  (Cullavagga,  11.  1.  12;  see  p.  lxiv,  n.  9,  above),  which  is  called  either 
the  ‘Great  Jumna’  (Buddhaghosa,  Anguttara-Nikaya  Commentary,  Siamese 
ed.,  1.  333-336;  cf.  Dhammapala,  Thera-Gatha  Commentary,  as  summarized 
by  Mrs.  Rhys  Davids,  Psalms  of  the  Brethren,  pp.  159-160,  London,  1913) 
or  the  Ganges  (Samyutta-Nikaya,  ed.  L.  Feer,  4.  179,  London,  1894,  but 
with  variant  reading;  Sutta-Nipata  Commentary,  ed.  H.  Smith,  2.  514,  Lon¬ 
don,  1917).  These  statements,  though  vague,  are  in  favor  of  a  site  in  the 
Doab  rather  than  one  in  the  central  highlands.  Furthermore,  the  Brhat- 
katha-slokasamgraha  explicitly  states  that  Kausambi  was  on  the  Kalindi  or 
Jumna  (4.  14;  cf.  8.  21). 

The  epigraphic  material  indicates  the  persistence  of  a  local  identification 
of  Kausambi  with  Kosam,  as  asserted  in  the  Jain  inscription  of  1824  A.D. 
(Ep.  Ind.  2.  243-244)  and  the  goldsmiths’  inscription  of  1565  A.D.  (Ep.  Ind. 

II.  89-92).  The  earlier  inscription  of  King  Yasahpala  (1036  A.D.),  which 
was  formerly  at  Karra  on  the  Ganges,  not  far  from  Kosam,  mentions  not 
only  the  ‘  district  of  Kausambi  ’  but  probably  also  the  neighboring  village  of 
Prabhasa  or  Pabhosa,  though  the  stone  is  much  defaced  (see  the  text  in 
Journal  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal,  5.  731).  Finally,  the  ancient  re¬ 
mains,  epigraphic,  numismatic,  and  archeological,  which  have  been  found  at 
Kosam,  prove  that  its  site  was  a  place  of  considerable  importance  in  the 
early  period  of  Indian  history,  as  Kausambi  undoubtedly  was  (cf.  Rapson, 
in  Cambridge  History  of  India,  1.  524-526,  London,  1922). 


RELATION  TO  HARSHA’S  OTHER  DRAMAS  lxxvii 

6 

RELATION  BETWEEN  THE  PRIYADARSIKA  AND  THE 
OTHER  DRAMAS  OF  HARSHA 

Introduction.  The  cumulative  data  in  support  of  Harsha’s  hav¬ 
ing  been  a  royal  author  have  already  been  presented  in  Part  2  of 
this  Introduction,  and  reference  has  been  made  (especially  on  pp. 
xlv-xlvi)  to  internal  evidence  which  bears  out  his  claim  to  the 
authorship  of  all  three  of  the  dramas,  Priyadarsika,  Ratnavall,  and 
Nagananda. 

General  unity  of  the  three  dramas.  The  fact  that  Harsha’s 
name  is  woven  into  a  stanza  which  is  repeated  nearly  verbatim  in 
the  Induction  of  each  of  the  plays  (see  note  20  on  Act  1,  page  99, 
below),  and  that  the  benedictory  stanzas  at  the  close  of  the  Priya¬ 
darsika  and  the  Ratnavall  form  another  repetition  (see  note  79  on 
Act  4),  in  addition  to  the  recurrence  of  two  identical  stanzas  in  the 
Priyadarsika  and  the  Nagananda  (Priya.  3.  3  =  Nagan.  4.  1; 
Priya.  3.  10  =  Nagan.  1.  14),  needs  only  to  be  recalled  here.  For 
the  purpose,  however,  of  adding  further  internal  evidence  regard¬ 
ing  the  unity  of  authorship,  it  is  worth  while  to  present  some  de¬ 
tails  with  respect  to  repeated  phrases,  parallels  in  situations  and  in 
turns  of  thought,  structural  similarities,  and  the  like,  even  though 
the  main  points  of  this  evidence  are  familiar  to  specialists  in  the 
Sanskrit  drama.1 

A.  PARALLELS  BETWEEN  PRIYADARSIKA  AND  RATNAVALI 

The  closest  likeness  exists  between  the  Priyadarsika  and  the 
Ratnavall  in  the  general  similarity  of  theme,  method  of  treatment, 
parallel  situations,  kindred  ideas,  and  manner  of  diction,  although 
the  latter  is  a  much  more  elaborate  play  and  shows  a  distinct  ad- 

1  See  especially  Pischel,  GGA.  1883,  pp.  1235-1241 ;  ibid.  1891,  pp.  366- 
367;  S.  J.  Warren,  Koning  Harsha  van  Kanyakubja,  pp.  1-8,  The  Hague, 
1883;  F.  Cimmino,  Sui  Drammi  attribuiti  ad  Harshadeva,  Naples,  1906;  id., 
Nagananda  .  .  .  traduzione,  pp.  xxxi-xxxvi,  Naples,  1903;  S.  Levi,  Le 
Theatre  indien,  pp.  184-196,  Paris,  1890.  Due  acknowledgment  is  here  made 
to  these  scholarly  works. 


lxxviii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  SIX 


vance  in  grasp  over  the  former.  Before  proceeding  to  other  com¬ 
parisons,  an  outline  of  the  plot  of  the  Ratnavall  is  given,  to  bring 
out  the  structural  similarities  to  the  Priyadarsika. 

Plot  of  the  Ratnavall  in  brief.  Ratnavall  (or  Sagarika), 
daughter  of  the  King  of  Ceylon,  has  been  destined  by  a  prophecy 
to  become  an  additional  wife  to  King  Vatsa  Udayana,  who  is 
already  married  to  Vasavadatta.  While  on  her  journey  to  con¬ 
summate  this  royal  alliance,  she  is  shipwrecked  at  sea,  but  is  hap¬ 
pily  rescued  and  brought  to  King  Vatsa’s  capital,  where  his  chief 
minister  places  her  in  the  keeping  of  Queen  Vasavadatta  without 
revealing  her  identity  as  a  princess.  She  is  known  in  the  play  as 
Sagarika,  because  of  having  been  rescued  from  the  ocean  ( sdgara ), 
just  as  Priyadarsika  is  called  Aranyaka  because  of  having  been 
rescued  in  the  forest  ( aranya ).  A  meeting  by  chance  in  the  palace- 
garden  results  in  mutual  love  between  Sagarika  and  the  King. 
This  amorous  intrigue,  in  which  the  use  of  disguise  plays  a  part, 
is  helped  on  by  the  damsel’s  friend  and  by  the  King’s  Jester,  but 
is  discovered  by  the  Queen,  who  causes  both  Sagarika  and  the 
Jester  to  be  thrown  into  prison  at  the  close  of  the  third  act.  A 
solution  of  the  difficulties  is  soon  found.  A  fire  in  the  palace, 
caused  by  a  magician’s  artifice,  places  the  imprisoned  maiden  in 
imminent  danger,  but  she  is  gallantly  rescued  by  the  King.  At 
this  moment  the  opportune  entrance  of  her  royal  father’s  minister, 
who  had  escaped  from  the  shipwreck  in  which  the  princess  was 
thought  to  have  been  lost,  results  in  an  immediate  recognition  of 
Sagarika  as  Ratnavall,  the  destined  bride  of  King  Vatsa  Udayana. 
The  Queen,  to  whom  she  is  related  as  a  cousin,  accepts  her  as  a 
co- wife,  while  the  joy  of  the  occasion,  in  which  the  Jester,  who 
has  been  previously  released,  takes  a  part,  is  made  more  complete 
through  the  happy  news  that  King  Vatsa’s  general  Rumanvant  has 
triumphed  over  the  rival  monarch  of  Kosala.  Thus  all  ends  well 
at  the  close  of  the  fourth  act. 

Characters  common  to  both  Priyadarsika  and  Ratnavall. 

Characters  common  to  both  of  these  plays  are  King  Vatsa  Udayana, 
Queen  Vasavadatta  and  her  attendant  Kancanamala,  as  well  as  the 


RELATION  TO  HARSHA’S  OTHER  DRAMAS 


lxxix 


royal  Jester  Vasantaka.2  Likewise  Rumanvant,  who  acts  as  min¬ 
ister  in  the  Priyadarsika,  appears  in  the  Ratnavall  in  the  role  of 
the  victorious  general  whose  military  successes  are  there  narrated 
by  his  soldier-nephew.  Yaugandharayana  is  the  important  min¬ 
ister  in  the  Ratnavall,  though  in  the  Priyadarsika  he  is  merely 
referred  to  in  connection  with  the  King  in  the  Mimic  Play  in  Act 
3.  The  characters  of  the  female  attendants,  whether  in  the  posi¬ 
tion  of  confidante  or  of  maidservant,  are  practically  the  same  in 
both  plays,  even  if  different  names  are  assigned  them  except  in  the 
case  of  Kancanamala.  The  parallelism  throughout  between  the 
two  heroines,  Aranyaka  and  Sagarika,  is  too  marked  to  be  the 
result  of  chance. 

Parallel  situations.  The  convention  of  the  explanatory  scene 
introducing  Act  1  of  the  Priyadarsika,  in  which  the  Chamberlain 
of  Priyadarsika’s  father  tells  of  her  disappearance  in  the  forest- 
battle,  has  its  parallel  in  the  introductory  scene  to  the  first  act  of 
the  Ratnavall,  where  Vatsa’s  Minister  tells  of  Sagarika’s  rescue 
from  shipwreck.  The  whole  scene  in  the  garden,  in  Act  2  of  the 
Priyadarsika,  with  Aranyaka  and  the  maidservant  Indivarika  dis¬ 
covered  by  King  Vatsa  and  the  Jester,  has  numerous  points  of 
resemblance  in  situation  and  style  to  the  garden  scene  in  the  second 
act  of  the  Ratnavall,  where  Sagarika,  through  the  intervention  of 
her  confidante  Susamgata,  is  made  known  to  Vatsa  and  his  fun¬ 
making  companion.  The  situation  at  the  beginning  of  Act  3  of 
the  Priyadarsika,  where  the  heroine  avows  her  hopeless  passion, 
corresponds  very  closely  with  that  at  the  opening  of  the  second 
act  of  the  Ratnavall.  Later  in  Act  3  of  Priyadarsika,  intrigue 
between  the  Jester  and  Manorama  leads  up  to  the  dramatic  episode 
of  the  Mimic  Play,  in  which  Aranyaka,  disguised  as  the  Queen,  is 
wooed  by  the  King  (who,  aided  by  the  concealment  of  his  mantle, 
replaces  Manorama,  who  was  cast  for  his  role),  until  the  Queen 
herself  discovers  the  ruse  and  imprisons  Aranyaka  and  the  Jester. 
In  the  third  act  of  the  Ratnavall,  though  in  a  slightly  different  way, 
a  scheme  is  devised  by  the  Jester  and  the  maidservant  to  arrange 
2  Consult  furthermore  Part  5  of  the  Introduction,  above,  p.  lxxiii. 


lxxx 


INTRODUCTION— PART  SIX 


a  rendezvous  between  the  King  and  Sagarika  in  a  bower  by  moon¬ 
light,  on  which  occasion  Sagarika  is  to  come  disguised  as  the 
Queen.  Meanwhile,  however,  the  Queen  learns  about  the  scheme, 
and,  having  concealed  her  identity  by  means  of  a  veil,  plays  the 
supposed  role  in  person,  greatly  to  the  King’s  discomfiture,  and 
sends  both  her  youthful  rival  and  the  Jester  to  prison.  Among 
the  parallel  episodes  in  the  fourth  act  of  each  of  the  plays  are  the 
release  of  the  Jester  by  the  relenting  Queen,  the  rescue  by  the 
King  of  the  heroine  supposed  in  each  case  to  be  at  the  point  of 
death,  the  recognition  of  her  as  a  lost  princess  related  to  the 
Queen,  and  her  acceptance  as  a  co-wife  by  the  latter  amid  the  gen¬ 
eral  rejoicing  over  the  victory  of  the  royal  armies,  conventionally 
announced.  While  it  may  be  allowed  that  a  number  of  such  paral¬ 
lels  are  due  to  the  conventionality  of  the  Hindu  drama,  yet,  when 
considered  in  connection  with  the  minor  details  that  are  next  to  be 
noted,  they  are  too  striking  to  admit  of  anything  but  a  single 
authorship  for  the  two  plays. 

Parallels  in  minor  details  of  thought  and  style.  The  numer¬ 
ous  parallels  between  Priyadarsika  and  Ratnavall  in  certain  minor 
details  of  thought  and  style  need  not  be  exhaustively  recorded  here, 
especially  as  many  of  them  are  referred  to  in  the  Notes;  never¬ 
theless  the  principal  ones  are  brought  together  in  the  following 
conspectus,  so  as  to  be  evident  at  a  glance.  The  references  for  the 
Priyadarsika  are  to  the  pages  of  the  translation  (facing  the  text) 
in  this  volume;  those  for  the  Ratnavall  are  to  the  pages  of  the 
Sanskrit  text  in  the  edition  of  Godabole  and  Parab,  Bombay,  1890. 


Priya.  p.  11  (act  1,  st.  6).  The 
King  expresses  his  satisfaction  with 
his  fortunate  condition  with  respect 
to  his  councilors,  people,  military 
success,  and  devoted  queen. 


Ratn.  p.  4  (act  1,  st.  10).  The 
kingdom  is  described  as  freed  from 
foes,  the  burden  of  administration  as 
placed  on  a  capable  minister,  the  sub¬ 
jects  as  appropriately  protected  and 
relieved  of  all  troubles,  while  the 
King  is  blessed  in  having  as  his 
queen  the  daughter  of  Pradyota  (i.e. 
Vasavadatta). 


RELATION  TO  HARSHA’S  OTHER  DRAMAS 


lxxxi 


Priya.  p.  15  (act  1).  Report  of 
the  general  to  the  King  regarding 
the  march  against  Vindhyaketu,  be¬ 
ginning  with  the  words  :  ‘  Your  Maj¬ 
esty,  hear.  With  an  army  of  ele¬ 
phants,  cavalry,  and  infantry,  as  di¬ 
rected  by  Your  Majesty’s  command, 
we  .  .  .’  ( deva ,  sruyatam.  ito  vayam 
devapadadesad  .  .  .). 

Priya.  p.  19  (act  1).  The  victo¬ 
rious  general  Vijayasena  is  sent  ‘to 
destroy  Kalinga  ’  {Kalihgocchittaye) . 

Priya.  p.  21  (act  2).  The  Jester’s 
use  of  the  motive  of  a  gift  for  him¬ 
self  as  a  Brahman,  though  conven¬ 
tional,  is  brought  out  especially  in 
connection  with  the  sotthivdana  rite. 

Priya.  p.  23  (act  2).  Description 
of  the  garden  of  the  fountain-house, 
and  its  trees  and  flowers. 

Priya.  p.  33  (act  2).  Aranyaka 
says,  on  seeing  the  hero :  *  So  this  is 
the  great  king  to  whom  I  was  given 
by  my  father !  ’  ( jassa  aham  tadena 
dinna) . 

Priya.  p.  39  (act  3).  Aranyaka, 
sighing :  ‘  O  my  heart !  why  dost 
thou  make  me  so  unhappy  by  longing 
for  a  person  who  is  hardly  to  be 
obtained?’  ( hiaa  dullahajanam  pat- 
thaanto  .  .  .). 


Priya.  pp.  43,  45  (act  3).  Lotus- 
leaves  ( nalinlpattdim )  are  used  to 
cool  Aranyaka’ s  burning  heart.  The 
Jester  appears  at  this  moment. 


Ratn.  p.  64  (act  4).  Report  of  the 
march  against  Kosala,  beginning  with 
the  words:  ‘Your  Majesty,  hear. 
With  a  large,  invincible  army  of 
elephants,  cavalry,  and  infantry,  as 
directed  by  Your  Majesty’s  com¬ 
mand,  we  .  .  .’  {deva,  sruyatam . 
vayam  ito  devadesat  .  .  .).  [The 
account  of  the  battle  shows  a  rather 
close  parallelism  in  structure.] 

Ratn.  p.  3  (explan,  scene).  Gen¬ 
eral  Rumanvant  is  sent  ‘  to  destroy 
Kosala’  (Kosalocchittaye) . 

Ratn.  p.  9  (act  1).  The  same  Jes¬ 
ter  expresses  his  hope  for  such  a 
present  {sotthivdana) . 


Ratn.  pp.  9-10  (act  1,  prose  and 
st.  18).  Detailed  description  of  the 
Makaranda  garden. 

Ratn.  p.  15  (act  1,  after  st.  24). 
Sagarika  similarly  exclaims  :  ‘  What ! 
is  this  King  Udayana  to  whom  I  was 
given  by  my  father?’  {jassa  aham 
tadena  dinna). 

Ratn.  p.  17  (act  2).  Sagarika, 
love-lorn :  ‘  O  my  heart,  have  pity, 
pity!  why  this  longing  for  a  person 
who  is  hardly  to  be  obtained?  ’  {hiaa 
.  .  .  dullahajana-ppatthana  .  .  .). 
[Cf.  further  Ratn.  p.  20  (act  2,  st. 
1)  :  ‘passion  for  a  person  who  is 
hardly  to  be  obtained.’  Cf.  likewise 
Nagan.  p.  20:  ‘  O  my  heart,  then  for 
this  person  .  .  .’  {ai  hiaa  tadha  ndma 
tassim  jane  .  .  .).] 

Ratn.  p.  20  (act  2,  before  st.  1). 
Lotus-leaves  are  similarly  applied  to 
the  heart  of  Sagarika.  The  Jester 
appears  shortly  afterward.  [For  a 
like  use  of  sandal-shoots  in  Nagan. 
(p.  24)  see  below.] 


6 


INTRODUCTION— PART  SIX 


lxxxii 

Priya.  p.  53  (act  3,  st.  5).  The 
King’s  agitation  and  intensity  of  feel¬ 
ing  as  he  enters  before  the  beginning 
of  the  Mimic  Play. 

Priya.  p.  57  (act  3)r  The  King, 
when  he  enters  disguised  in  a  mantle 
to  meet  Aranyaka  in  the  Mimic  Play, 
fears  he  is  recognized  and  exclaims : 
‘  What !  am  I  recognized  by  the 
Queen?’  ( katham  pratyabhijhato 
’smi  devya). 

Priya.  p.  63  (act  3,  st.  11).  The 
King,  taking  Aranyaka’s  hand,  says : 

‘  Ambrosia,  recognized  under  the 
guise  of  perspiration,  it  is  plain, 
flows  without  ceasing  ’  ( jnatarn 

svedapadesad  aviratam  amrtatn  syan- 
date  vyaktam  etat). 

Priya.  p.  67  (act  3).  Manorama, 
when  binding  the  Jester,  says:  ‘You 
rascal!  Now  reap  the  fruit  of  your 
own  ill-behavior!’  ( hadasa ,  idanim 
anubhava  attano  dunnaassa  phalam). 

Priya.  p.  67,  69  (act  3,  st.  13,  14). 
The  King  describes  the  Queen’s  sup¬ 
pressed  anger  and  frowning  brows 
(bhriibhahga) .  Later  (p.  69)  he 
tells  the  Jester  that  he  is  devising 
some  means  of  conciliating  her. 


Priya.  p.  69  (act  3).  The  King, 
after  falling  at  the  Queen’s  feet  with 
the  words :  ‘  My  Queen,  pardon,  par¬ 
don  !  ’  exclaims :  ‘  What !  has  the 
Queen  gone  without  granting  par¬ 
don?  ’ 


Ratn.  p.  49  (act  3,  st.  10).  The 
King’s  excitement  before  the  rendez¬ 
vous  with  Sagarika. 

Ratn.  p.  49  (act  3).  The  Queen, 
conversely,  when  disguised  by  a  veil, 
to  impersonate  her  rival  Sagarika  at 
the  rendezvous,  exclaims  :  ‘  What ! 
am  I  recognized  by  the  Jester?’ 
( kadham  paccabhinnada  mhi  edena). 

Ratn.  p.  35  (act  2,  st.  17).  The 
King,  holding  Sagarika’s  hand,  ex¬ 
claims  :  ‘  How  otherwise  can  there 
flow  this  stream  of  ambrosia  in  the 
disguise  of  perspiration?’  ( kuto 
’nyatha  sravaty  esa  svedacchadma- 
mrtadravah ) . 

Ratn.  p.  58  (act  3).  Kancana- 
mala,  in  binding  and  beating  the  Jes¬ 
ter,  exclaims:  ‘You  rascal!  Reap 
now  the  fruit  of  your  misbehavior !  ’ 
( hadasa ,  anubhava  dava  attano  avi- 
naassa  phalam). 

Ratn.  pp.  39-40  (act  2,  st.  20). 
The  King  gives  a  description  of  his 
consort’s  anger,  beginning :  ‘  Al¬ 

though  her  frowning  brow  was  sud¬ 
denly  raised  .  .  .’  ( bhrubhahge  saha- 
sodgate  ’pi  .  .  .)  ;  he  determines  to 
go  within  to  conciliate  her  ( devlm 
prasddayitum  abhyantaram  eva  pra- 
visavah). 

Ratn.  p.  53  (act  3).  The  King, 
after  falling  at  the  Queen’s  feet, 
implores  pardon  in  exactly  the  same 
words :  devi,  prasida  praslda  .  .  . 
katham  akrtvai  ’va  prasadam  gatd 
devl? 


RELATION  TO  HARSHA’S  OTHER  DRAMAS  lxxxiii 


Priya.  p.  81  (act  4).  Vijayasena, 
general  of  King  Udayana,  says  to 
the  Chamberlain :  ‘  In  truth  I  feel  a 
kind  of  ecstatic  joy,  beyond  compare, 
at  the  thought  of  seeing  my  master 
today’  ( adya  svamipada  drastavya 
iti  yatsatyam  anupamam  kam  a  pi 
sukhatisayam  anubhavdmi ) . 


Priya.  p.  91  (act  4).  In  the  rec¬ 
ognition  scene  the  heroine  exclaims : 
‘  What !  the  chamberlain,  the  worthy 
Vinayavasu?  {In  tears.)  Alas,  my 
father!  Alas,  my  mother  ( ajjue )  !  ’ 

Priya.  p.  91  (act  4).  The  Queen 
says  to  Aranyaka:  ‘  {In  tears.) 
Come,  you  cheat  of  a  girl!  Now 
show  your  cousinly  affection.  (  Clasp¬ 
ing  her  around  the  neck.)  ’ 

Priya.  p.  93  (act  4,  st.  11).  The 
King,  directly  before  the  Epilogue, 
refers  to  the  fortunate  recovery  of 
Priyadarsana  (  Aranyaka ) . 


Ratn.  p.  70  (act  4).  Babhravya, 
Udayana’s  chamberlain,  says  to  Vasu- 
bhuti,  the  minister  from  Ceylon :  ‘  In 
truth  I  feel  a  kind  of  unusual  experi¬ 
ence  because  of  the  ecstatic  delight 
at  the  thought  that  I  am  to  see  my 
master  today  after  so  long  a  time  ’ 
{adya  khalu  chat  svaminam  drak- 
sydml  ’ti  yatsatyam  anandatisayena 
kim  apy  avasthdntaram  anubhavdmi) . 

Ratn.  p.  77  (act  4).  Sagarika 
similarly  exclaims:  ‘  {In  tears.) 
What!  the  minister  Vasubhuti?  .  .  . 
Alas,  my  father !  Alas,  my  mother 
{amba)  !  ’ 

Ratn.  p.  78  (act  4).  The  Queen 
addresses  Sagarika:  ‘  {In  tears.) 
Come,  you  very  cruel  cousin !  Now 
come,  show  your  affection.  {Clasps 
her  around  the  neck.)  ’ 

Ratn.  p.  80  (act  4,  next  to  last 
stanza).  The  King  similarly  refers 
to  the  recovery  of  Ratnavali  (Saga¬ 
rika).  [The  general  tone  resembles 
also  that  of  the  next  to  last  stanza 
of  Nagananda.] 


B.  PARALLELS  BETWEEN  PRIYADARSIKA  AND  NAGANANDA 

(including  two  between  Ratnavali  and  Nagananda) 

The  parallels  between  the  Priyadarsika  and  the  Nagananda  are 
less  striking  than  those  noted  between  the  Priyadarsika  and  the 
Ratnavali,  because  the  subject  and  general  character  of  the  Naga¬ 
nanda  are  of  a  different  nature  from  that  of  the  Priyadarsika,  as 
shown  by  the  analysis  of  the  plot  given  below.  The  Nagananda, 
moreover,  is  a  five-act  nataka,  or  more  serious  drama,  in  contrast 
to  the  four-act  natika,  or  lighter  type  of  play,  which  is  exemplified 
in  the  Priyadarsika  and  the  Ratnavali.  The  resemblances  to  the 
Priyadarsika,  however,  in  the  first  two  acts  of  the  Nagananda, 


lxxxiv 


INTRODUCTION— PART  SIX 


where  the  tenor  of  the  subject  admits  such  similarities  in  tone  and 
treatment,  together  with  certain  likenesses  to  the  Ratnavall,  are 
sufficiently  strong  to  assure  the  unity  of  authorship  of  all  three 
plays.  A  sketch  of  the  plot  of  the  Nagananda  will  show  where 
the  resemblances  occur,  as  well  as  where  the  development  of  the 
subject  gives  rise  to  points  of  natural  divergence. 

Plot  of  the  Nagananda  in  brief.  This  play,  which  is  Buddhistic 
in  tone  in  its  last  two  acts  and  whose  introductory  invocations  are 
addressed  to  Buddha,  has  as  its  hero  Prince  Jimutavahana,  son  of 
the  king  of  the  Vidyadharas,  who  falls  in  love  with  Malayavati, 
daughter  of  the  king  of  the  Siddhas,  then  living  in  the  forest. 
Jimutavahana  catches  sight  of  the  heroine  in  the  hermit-grove  as 
she  is  playing  upon  the  lute  while  attended  by  a  handmaiden.  En¬ 
chanted  by  the  music,  the  prince  in  concealment  praises  her  art  in 
a  metrical  stanza  which  is  identical  with  one  found  in  the  Priya- 
darsika  (p.  61).  Love  at  first  sight  springs  from  the  meeting, 
though  the  two  have  to  part  for  the  time  being.  In  the  second 
act  the  heroine,  tormented  by  her  passion,  seeks  comfort  in  the 
sandal  bower  with  her  maiden,  who  places  sandal-leaves  as  a  balm 
upon  her  bosom  (cf.  Priya.  and  Ratn.)  just  at  the  moment  when 
the  hero  and  his  companion  approach.  Through  a  misunderstand¬ 
ing  of  something  which  the  hero  says,  the  heroine,  in  despair  of 
having  her  love  requited,  is  about  to  commit  suicide  (cf.  Ratn., 
act  3)  ;  he  comes  to  the  rescue,  reveals  his  passion  by  a  portrait 
which  he  has  drawn  of  her,  and  the  consummation  of  their  love  is 
assured.  Their  marriage  takes  place  in  the  third  act;  but  hardly 
has  the  wedding  feast  been  celebrated  before  the  hero  is  led,  in  the 
fourth  act,  to  offer  his  own  life  to  save  that  of  a  snake-deity  who 
is  doomed  to  be  devoured  by  Garuda,  the  bird  who  is  a  foe  to  the 
serpent  race.  The  sacrifice  is  made  in  the  fifth  act,  but  the  savage 
bird  is  caused  to  relent,  and  the  hero,  though  cruelly  torn,  is 
restored  to  life  by  the  goddess  Gaurl  and  is  reunited  with  his  wife 
and  parents. 

In  the  ensuing  pages  the  references  for  the  Nagananda  are  to 
the  pages  of  the  Sanskrit  text  in  the  edition  of  Brahme  and  Paran- 


RELATION  TO  HARSHA’S  OTHER  DRAMAS  lxxxv 


jape,  Poona,  1893,  while  those  for  the  Priyadarsika  are,  as  before, 
to  the  pages  of  the  translation  (facing  the  text)  in  the  present 
volume. 

Repeated  stanzas.  Allusion  has  previously  been  made  (see  also 
notes  51  and  99  on  Act  3,  below)  to  the  recurrence  of  two  identi¬ 
cal  stanzas  in  the  Priyadarsika  and  the  Nagananda.  These  stanzas 
are  the  passages  descriptive  of  the  Chamberlain’s  office  (Priya.  3. 
3,  p.  49  =  Nagan.  4.  1,  p.  61)  and  of  the  heroine’s  musical  accom¬ 
plishments  (Priya.  3.  10,  p.  61  =  Nagan.  1.  14,  p.  10).  Attention 
has  already  been  drawn  likewise  to  the  almost  identical  stanza  in 
the  Induction  to  all  three  of  the  plays  of  Harsha,  in  which  his 
name  is  given  as  author. 

Similarities  in  minor  details.  Certain  similarities  in  minor 
details,  including  stylistic  resemblances,  may  also  be  pointed  out. 


Priya.  p.  9  (act  1).  The  Cham¬ 
berlain,  after  deliberation,  decides : 
*  I  will  go  now  to  my  master  and 
will  devote  the  remainder  of  my  life 
to  his  service  (pada-paricaryayd)  ' 
[There  is  here  a  slight  resemblance 
in  wording  to  the  juxtaposed  Nagan. 
passage.] 


Nagan.  p.  3  (end  of  Induction). 
The  Stage-manager,  about  to  assume 
the  role  of  the  hero,  deliberates,  be¬ 
fore  reaching  a  decision :  ‘  Shall  I 
remain  at  home  and  forego  the  hap¬ 
piness  of  service  upon  my  parents? 
(guru- car  ana-paric  ary  d-sukham) 


Priya.  p.  27  (act  2).  When  the 
King  catches  sight  of  Aranyaka  in 
the  garden,  the  Jester  surmises  that 
she  is  ‘  the  goddess  of  the  garden  ’ 
(ujjanadevada),  while  the  King  (st. 
6)  dismisses  his  own  fancy  that  she 
may  be  ‘a  Naga-maiden  (Ndga- 
kanya )  risen  from  Patala.’ 

Priya.  p.  29  (act  2).  Comment  of 
the  King,  addressing  the  Jester,  that 
‘the  maiden  may  be  looked  at  with¬ 
out  doing  wrong  ’  (nirdosadarsana 
k any aka). 

Priya.  p.  43  (act  3).  Lotus-leaves 
(nalinlpattrani)  are  used  as  a  balm 
for  the  heart  [as  noted  above  in 
connection  with  Ratn.]. 


Nagan.  p.  11  (act  1).  In  a  simi¬ 
lar  situation  the  Jester  wonders 
whether  Malayavatl  is  ‘  a  goddess  or 
a  Naga-maiden’  (devl  adha  vd  Nda- 
kannad),  and  the  Prince  (st.  15) 
comments  upon  these  surmises  in  a 
kindred  manner. 


Nagan.  p.  11  (act  1).  In  a  similar 
situation  is  found  the  phrase : 
‘  Maidens  may  be  looked  at  without 
doing  wrong’  (kanyakd  hi  nirdosa- 
darsana  bhavanti). 

Nagan.  p.  24  (act  2).  The  maid 
places  a  crushed  sandal-shoot  (can- 
danapallavam)  upon  Malayavati’s 
heart. 


lxxxvi 


INTRODUCTION— PART  SIX 


Priya.  p.  43  (act  3).  When  the 
Jester  unexpectedly  approaches,  the 
handmaiden  of  Aranyaka,  ‘  listening  ’ 
(dkarnya) ,  exclaims:  ‘I  hear  some¬ 
thing  like  the  sound  of  footsteps.’ 

Priya.  p.  63  (act  3).  After  the 
performance  on  the  lute,  Aranyaka 
says  to  the  attendant:  ‘From  play¬ 
ing  so  long  I  have  become  tired ;  my 
limbs  now  have  no  strength’  (dram 
khu  mama  vadaantle  parissamo  jado. 
idanim  nissahdim  ahgdim )  ;  where¬ 
upon  the  handmaiden  says :  ‘  The 
Princess  is  completely  tired  out ;  .  .  . 
her  fingers  tremble’  ( parissantd 
bhattiddrid  .  .  .  vevanti  aggahatthd) . 


Nagan.  p.  27  (act  2).  Malaya- 
vati’s  handmaiden,  ‘  hearkening  ’ 
{karnam  dattvd),  exclaims,  in  the 
very  same  words :  padasaddo  via 
sunladi. 

Nagan.  p.  10  (act  1).  The  maid- 
in-waiting  says  to  Malayavatl : 
‘  Princess,  you  have  played  so  long ; 
are  not  your  fingers  tired?’  ( bhatti - 
ddrie  ciram  khu  tue  vadidam,  na 
kkhu  de  padissamo  aggahatthdnam) . 


Priya.  p.  65  (act  3).  Sankrtya- 
yani  says  to  the  Queen :  ‘  Princess, 
this  is  the  Gandharva  form  of  mar¬ 
riage  ( gdndharvo  vivahah) .’ 


Nagan.  p.  38  (act  2,  near  end). 
The  Jester  says  to  the  Prince:  ‘  Sir, 
your  Gandharva  form  of  marriage 
( gandhavvo  vivdho )  has  now  taken 
place.’ 


Two  parallels  between  Ratnavali  and  Nagananda.  The  fol¬ 
lowing  additional  parallels  are  worth  noting  here. 


Ratn.  pp.  17-18,  etc.  (act  2).  The 
heroine,  Sagarika,  draws  a  picture 
of  the  hero,  which  helps  in  develop¬ 
ing  the  action. 

Ratn.  pp.  53-55  (act  3).  Saga¬ 
rika,  despairing  of  the  King’s  love, 
attempts  to  commit  suicide  by  hang¬ 
ing  herself  by  a  jasmine  creeper 
( mddhavi-latd )  to  a  branch  of  an 
asoka-tvte,  but  is  rescued  by  the 
King. 


Nagan.  pp.  30,  36-38  (act  2).  The 
hero,  Jimutavahana,  conversely, 
draws  a  picture  of  the  heroine  and 
thus  gives  a  proof  of  his  love. 

Nagan.  pp.  34-36  (act  2).  Mala- 
yavati,  similarly  in  despair,  attempts 
to  hang  herself  by  a  trailing  creeper 
(atimukta-latd)  to  an  asoka-bough, 
and  is  rescued  in  like  manner  by  the 
hero.  [Cf.  Aranyaka’s  veiled  hint 
at  suicide  in  Priya.  p.  25  (act  2), 
when  she  despairs  of  the  King’s 
love ;  her  actual  attempt  at  suicide  in 
act  4  is  differently  motivated.] 


It  would  not  be  difficult  to  add  to  this  list  of  resemblances  in 
the  three  plays,  but  a  sufficient  number  have  been  pointed  out  to 
indicate  the  general  likenesses  that  these  dramas  possess  in  common. 


RESEMBLANCES  TO  KALIDASA’S  DRAMAS  lxxxvii 


C.  ORDER  OF  COMPOSITION  OF  THE  DRAMAS 

With  regard  to  the  order  of  composition  of  the  three  dramas,  it 
will  be  generally  conceded  that  the  Priyadarsika,  on  account  of  its 
relative  simplicity,  is  the  earliest  of  the  trio.  A  question  may  be 
raised  concerning  the  order  of  the  other  two,  both  of  which  are 
superior  to  the  Priyadarsika  in  general  merit.  One  might  nat¬ 
urally  be  inclined  to  assign  the  Nagananda  to  the  second  place  in 
order,  and  to  reserve  the  elaborate  Ratnavali  for  the  latest  posi¬ 
tion.3  While  such  an  arrangement  would  be  agreeable,  a  careful 
study  of  the  plays,  taken  in  connection  with  the  circumstances  of 
King  Harsha’s  life,  particularly  his  Buddhistic  leanings  in  his  later 
years,  has  led  to  the  conclusion  that  the  dramas  were  most  prob¬ 
ably  composed  in  the  following  order:  (i)  Priyadarsika,  (2) 
Ratnavali,  (3)  Nagananda. 


7 

RESEMBLANCES  IN  THE  PRIYADARSIKA  TO  KALI¬ 
DASA’S  DRAMAS,  AND  ITS  POSITION  IN 
SANSKRIT  LITERATURE 

Introduction.  With  his  dramatic  interests  Harsha  must  nat¬ 
urally  have  been  familiar  with  Kalidasa.  This  fact,  as  has  often 
been  pointed  out,  is  apparent  in  the  royal  author’s  plays.  The 
principal  instances  which  indicate  influence  of  Kalidasa  on  Harsha 
are  recorded  in  the  Notes  (pages  97-131,  below)  and  merely  re¬ 
quire  to  be  summarized,  with  some  additions,  here. 

3  So,  incidentally,  Brahme  and  Paranjape,  Nagananda ,  page  x,  since  they 
hold  that  the  heroine’s  attempt  at  suicide  ‘  seems  to  have  been  used  first  in 
Nagananda,  in  imitation  of  the  story  of  Gunadhya  which  contains  it,  and 
next  in  the  Ratnavali,  the  poet  being  evidently  well  pleased  with  it.’ 


Ixxxviii 


INTRODUCTION— PART  SEVEN 


The  editions  of  Kalidasa’s  dramas  to  which  reference  is  made 
are  the  same  as  those  cited  in  the  Notes  and  listed  in  the  ‘  Con¬ 
spectus  of  Editions  referred  to*  above. 

Priyadarsika  and  Malavikagnimitra.  It  is  natural  to  expect 
that  a  conventional  play  of  court  intrigue  like  the  Priyadarsika 
should  present  certain  resemblances  to  Kalidasa’s  Malavikagni¬ 
mitra,  which  has  a  somewhat  similar  theme.1  It  is  possible  that 
the  exhibition  of  singing  and  dancing  in  the  playhouse  ( pekkhd - 
gharaa)  by  the  heroine  Malavika,  as  arranged  by  the  rival  teachers 
of  the  histrionic  art  in  the  Malavikagnimitra  (cf.  Malav.,  act  I 
end,  and  act  2)  may  have  given  the  suggestion  for  introducing  the 
Mimic  Play  in  the  playhouse  ( pekkhaghara )  in  the  Priyadarsika 
(act  3).  The  situation  of  Malavika  with  her  attendant,  observed 
by  the  King  and  his  Jester  in  concealment  in  the  garden  (Malav., 
act  3,  pp.  67-75),  may  perhaps  have  given  a  suggestion  for  the 
episode  in  the  garden  in  Priya.  (act  2,  pp.  27-31).  The  imprison¬ 
ment  of  Malavika  by  the  jealous  Queen  (cf.  Malav.,  act  3  end, 
act  4  beg.)  is  a  motive  utilized  also  in  Priya.  (act  3  end,  act  4  beg.) . 
The  role  of  the  religious  lady  ( parivrajika )  KausikI,  as  a  friend 
of  the  Queen  throughout  the  Malavikagnimitra,  is  similar  to  that 
of  Sankrtyayam  in  the  third  and  fourth  acts  of  the  Priyadarsika 
(see  note  38  on  p.  116,  below).  The  Jester’s  talk  in  his  sleep 
about  Malavika  (Malav.,  act  4,  p.  120)  betrays  the  secret  of  her 
meeting  with  the  King,  somewhat  as  Vasantaka’s  sleepy  talk  dur¬ 
ing  the  Mimic  Play  in  Priya.  (act  3,  p.  65)  reveals  the  intrigue 
of  the  King  with  reference  to  a  meeting  with  Aranyaka.  The 
magic  use  of  the  snake-stone  to  counteract  the  poison  in  the  case 
of  the  Jester’s  feigned  sting  by  a  serpent  in  the  fourth  act  of  the 
Malavikagnimitra  (pp.  101-105)  may  indirectly  have  given  a  hint 
for  the  employment  of  the  magic  formula  to  counteract  the  effect 
of  the  poison  actually  taken  by  Aranyaka  in  the  fourth  act  of 
Priya.  (pp.  85,  89). 

Priyadarsika  and  Vikramorvasl.  The  Chamberlain’s  stanza 

1  On  these  resemblances  see  the  observations  of  R.  V.  Krishnamachariar 
in  his  edition  of  the  Priyadarsika,  Srirangam,  1906,  Sanskrit  introd.  ( bhu - 
mika) ,  pp.  xlii-xlviii. 


RESEMBLANCES  TO  KALIDASA’S  DRAMAS 


lxxxix 


relating  to  his  duties,  in  VikramorvasI  (act  3,  stanza  1),  has  some 
natural  resemblances  to  that  spoken  by  the  Chamberlain  in  the 
Mimic  Play  in  Priya.  (act  3,  stanza  3).  The  Jester’s  description 
of  the  stone  seat  covered  with  fallen  blossoms  in  the  garden  in 
the  VikramorvasI  (act  2,  pp.  20-21)  reminds  one  of  that  by  the 
Jester  in  the  second  act  of  Priya.  (p.  23;  cf.  note  13  on  p.  109). 
The  last  stanza  of  the  second  act  of  Vikram.  (p.  37),  with  its 
description  of  the  mid-day  heat  and  its  effect  upon  the  peacock, 
bee,  and  waterfowl,  may  have  been  a  prototype,  though  perhaps 
natural,  for  the  similar  picture  of  the  heat  in  the  last  stanza  of  the 
first  act  of  Priya.  (p.  19).  The  allusion,  moreover,  to  the  leaping 
of  the  saphara- fish  in  that  particular  stanza  of  Priya.  is  similar  in 
expression  to  a  verse  in  Kalidasa’s  Meghaduta,  1.  40  (see  note  87 
on  page  106,  below).  In  the  explanatory  scene  of  the  third  act  of 
VikramorvasI  (pp.  38-39)  the  heroine’s  absentmindedness  is  re¬ 
ferred  to  as  having  caused  trouble  through  her  making  a  mistake 
in  a  part  assigned  to  her  in  a  play;  similarly,  Aranyaka’s  absent- 
mindedness  is  stated  to  have  led  to  her  enacting  poorly  her  role  in 
the  play  that  was  being  prepared  (Priya.,  act  3,  p.  39;  cf.  note  4 
on  p.  1 14).  The  King’s  humility  in  apologizing  to  the  Queen  in 
Vikram.,  act  3,  stanza  13  (p.  49),  has  a  parallel  (perhaps  only 
natural  under  the  circumstances)  in  a  phrase  in  the  apology  in 

Priya.,  act  4,  stanza  2  (p.  77;  cf.  note  24  on  p.  127). 

««* 

Priyadarsika  and  Sakuntala.  There  are  certainly  reminis¬ 
cences  of  the  first  act  of  the  Sakuntala  in  the  second  act  of  the 
Priyadarsika.  For  instance,  the  ‘  idle  talk  ’  between  the  heroine  and 
her  maid  in  Sakuntala  (act  1,  prose  after  stanza  27)  is  recalled  by  a 
passage  in  the  second  act  of  Priya.  (p.  29;  cf.  note  48  on  p.  112)  ; 
and  the  incident  of  the  bees  tormenting  the  heroine,  in  the  first  act 
of  Sakuntala,  surely  suggested  the  episode  in  the  second  act  of 
Priya.  (p.  31;  cf.  note  53  on  p.  112).  The  ruse  on  the  part  of 
the  heroine  to  delay  her  departure,  in  the  Sakuntala  (act  1,  after 
stanza  32),  reminds  one  of  that  in  the  second  act  of  Priya.  (p.  33; 
see  note  61  on  p.  112,  below),  while  it  might  naturally  be  ex¬ 
pected  that  there  should  be  an  allusion  to  obstacles  in  the  path  of 


xc 


INTRODUCTION— PART  SEVEN 


love  in  the  third  act  of  Sakuntala  (prose  near  end)  and  in  the 
second  act  of  Priyadarsika  (p.  35;  cf.  note  63  on  p.  113). 

Harsha’s  possible  acquaintance  with  the  dramas  of  Bhasa. 
In  Part  5  of  this  Introduction  (p.  lxxi)  attention  has  been  called  to 
Harsha’s  dramatic  predecessor  Bhasa  in  connection  with  the  use 
of  the  Udayana  legend.  The  possibility  of  Harsha’s  having  some 
acquaintance  with  the  plays  of  Bhasa  is  not  precluded,  even  though 
the  subject  requires  fuller  investigation  in  the  future.  The  allu¬ 
sion  in  the  third  act  of  the  Priyadarsika  (p.  51 ;  cf.  note  63  on 
p.  1 19)  to  King  Vatsa  Udayana’s  devoted  follower  Yaugandhara- 
yana,  who  assumed  the  disguise  of  a  madman  in  order  to  release 
his  master  from  captivity,  as  recorded  in  the  legend,  may  perhaps 
have  been  suggested  by  Bhasa’s  Pratij  nayaugandharayana,  act  3 
(see  note  63  on  p.  119,  below),  especially  since  the  fire-episode  in 
the  fourth  act  of  the  Ratnavall  may  possibly  be  reminiscent  of  the 
fire-incident  in  Bhasa’s  Svapnavasavadatta  (act  1).  A  common 
interest  in  the  general  legend  of  Udayana  may  have  attracted 
Harsha  to  Bhasa,  but  no  close  verbal  parallels  have  thus  far  been 
observed. 

Harsha’s  position  in  Sanskrit  literature.  The  importance  of 
Harsha  as  a  king,  author,  and  patron  of  letters  (see  Part  2  of  this 
Introduction)  naturally  lent  special  luster  to  his  name  and  works 
in  after  times.  In  the  eyes  of  all  later  Hindu  writers  the  Ratna- 
vali,  because  of  its  excellence,  was  accorded  a  place  of  honor,  and 
its  influence  was  most  marked.  In  this  respect  neither  the  Naga- 
nanda  nor  the  Priyadarsika  can  compete  with  it.  Nevertheless 
the  Priyadarsika  comes  in  for  recognition  through  quotation  for 
purposes  of  illustration,  and  an  instance  where  it  may  have  exer¬ 
cised  a  direct  influence  has  been  recorded  below  (note  75  on  p. 
131).  As  there  noted,  the  next  to  the  last  stanza  in  the  fourth 
act  of  Rajasekhara’s  Viddhasalabhanjika  presents  a  general,  if 
not  striking,  resemblance  to  the  next  to  the  last  stanza  of  Priya¬ 
darsika,  act  4.  Search  in  the  later  dramatists  would  doubtless  re¬ 
veal  a  number  of  similar  instances  as  evidence  of  the  presumable 
influence  of  Harsha. 


LANGUAGE  AND  STYLE  OF  THE  PLAY 


xci 


In  the  Sanskrit  anthologies  only  one  excerpt  from  the  Priya¬ 
darsika  has  thus  far  been  noted :  the  opening  stanza  of  the  play 
is  quoted  under  Harsha’s  name  in  the  collection  of  elegant  extracts 
entitled  Saduktikarnamrta  (i.  114),  by  Srldharadasa  (see  note  2 
on  p.  97,  below).  Among  the  writers  on  Hindu  dramaturgy, 
Dhanika  (end  of  10th  century  A.D.),  in  commenting  on  Dhanam- 
jaya’s  Dasarupa  (2.  82  and  92),  twice  cites  the  Priyadarsika  as 
illustrating  certain  elements  of  literary  composition  (see  note  61 
on  p.  104,  note  68  on  p.  120)  ;  and,  in  elucidating  DR.  4.  10,  he 
quotes  one  of  its  stanzas  (Priya.  1.  4),  though  without  indicating 
its  source  (see  note  28  on  p.  100).  In  other  rhetorical  works  no 
citations  of  the  Priyadarsika  have  as  yet  been  noted. 

Merits  of  the  Priyadarsika  in  general.  While  the  play  is  con¬ 
ventional  and  does  not  exhibit  any  striking  originality,  it  is  never¬ 
theless  marked  by  a  noteworthy  simplicity  in  its  general  style  and 
by  the  skill  shown  in  the  construction  of  its  plot,  the  handling  of 
incidents,  and  the  portraiture  of  character.  The  metrical  passages 
descriptive  of  nature  and  feeling  are  admirable,  as  a  rule,  and  the 
language  is  not  overstrained  in  reaching  after  effects.2  Perhaps 
the  most  original  feature  that  has  been  noted  is  the  introduction  of 
a  play  within  a  play,  the  Mimic  Drama  inserted  in  the  third  act 
constituting,  as  in  Hamlet ,  an  integral  part  of  the  action.3 


8 

LANGUAGE  AND  STYLE  OF  THE  PLAY,  AND  CONSTI¬ 
TUTION  OF  THE  PRESENT  TEXT 

Languages  used  in  the  play.  As  is  customary  in  the  classic 
drama  of  India,  the  characters  in  the  Priyadarsika  speak  two 

2  The  style  of  the  play  is  more  fully  discussed  in  part  8  of  this  Intro¬ 
duction,  below. 

3  See  below,  note  50  on  p.  118,  and  the  Appendix  to  the  Introduction. 


XC11 


INTRODUCTION— PART  EIGHT 


different  languages,  or  one  might  almost  say  dialects,  since  in  the 
nature  of  the  case  they  are  mutually  intelligible.  The  Stage- 
manager  and  the  male  personages  in  the  play  proper,  who  all 
belong  to  the  court  circle,  use  the  distinctively  literary  language, 
Sanskrit,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  Jester,  who  as  a  comic 
character  speaks  Prakrit,  a  stereotyped  form  of  ancient  colloquial 
speech.  The  women  of  all  ranks  use  Prakrit,  except  that  the 
learned  lady  Sarikrtyayanl  speaks  in  Sanskrit  throughout.1 

Characteristics  of  the  style.  The  style  of  the  play  is  markedly 
simple  for  a  work  of  its  kind  and  period,  when  the  literature  of 
conscious  art,  the  so-called  kdvya  or  ‘  art-poetry/  was  producing 
the  elaborate  ingeniosities  of  Harsha’s  contemporary,  the  romancer 
Bana.  The  dialogue  and  narrative  portions  are  for  the  most  part 
in  unadorned  prose,  though  the  language  at  times  rises  with  the 
theme,  as  in  the  account  of  the  attack  on  Vindhyaketu  in  Act  i. 
There  are  also  a  few  descriptive  passages  in  Prakrit  characterized 
by  the  abundant  use  of  compound  words  2 ;  but  they  are  relatively 
brief  and  do  not  unduly  halt  the  progress  of  the  action.  The 
stanzas,  which  are  the  ‘  high  lights  ’  of  a  Sanskrit  play,  are  in  the 
Priyadarsika  often  an  emotional  or  esthetic  comment  on  the  dra¬ 
matic  situation  rather  than  a  necessary  part  of  it,  and  as  such  they 
are  generally  introduced  with  appropriate  effect.  Except  for  the 
occasional  slesas,  or  puns,3  which  can  be  only  approximately  ren¬ 
dered  into  English,  and  the  alliteration  or  sound-repetition,4  which 
a  literal  translation  dare  not  attempt  to  reproduce,  the  style  of  the 
metrical  portions  offers  no  especial  difficulties ;  but,  in  accordance 
with  Krishnamachariar’s  commentary,  attention  has  been  called  in 
the  notes  to  the  various  rhetorical  figures  ( alamkaras )  that  are 
exemplified,  since  such  ‘  ornaments  ’  are  regarded  in  the  literary 
theory  of  ancient  India  as  a  vital  part  of  the  poetic  effect. 

1  On  the  dialects  used  in  the  dramas  and  their  conventional  assignment  to 
the  various  roles,  see  DR.  2.  97-99,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  75;  SD.  432;  Levi, 
Le  Theatre  indien,  pp.  129-13 1. 

2  Note  especially  the  Jester’s  descriptions  of  the  King’s  captivity  (Act  1, 
p.  11)  and  of  the  palace  garden  (Act  2,  p.  23). 

3  See  Act  1,  st.  5 ;  Act  2,  st.  5,  7 ;  Act  3,  st.  3,  8. 

4  Notably  in  Act  1,  st.  9;  Act  4,  st.  11,  12. 


LANGUAGE  AND  STYLE  OF  THE  PLAY 


xcm 


Constitution  of  the  present  text.  Although  manuscripts  of 
the  Priyadarsika  are  fairly  abundant,5  the  printed  editions  show 
no  divergences  of  such  consequence  as  to  establish  the  existence 
of  different  recensions,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Sakuntala,  and  there 
is  not  even  question,  as  in  the  Ratnavali,  concerning  the  interpola¬ 
tion  of  single  stanzas.  The  comparative  neglect  of  our  play  6  may 
have  protected  it  from  this  form  of  textual  corruption;  but  the 
fact  that  one  stanza  (Act  3,  st.  6)  is  metrically  defective,  in  con¬ 
junction  with  minor  difficulties  in  other  passages,7  shows  that  the 
manuscript  tradition  is  not  above  suspicion.  In  constituting  a 
working  text  for  the  purposes  of  the  present  volume,  as  indicated 
in  the  Preface,  the  edition  of  Krishnamachariar  has  generally  been 
followed,  the  more  important  variants  in  Gadre’s  text  being  men¬ 
tioned  in  the  notes.  The  fewer  instances  in  which  Gadre’s  read¬ 
ings  have  been  adopted  in  preference  to  Krishnamachariar’s  are 
stated  in  the  following  list.  Not  included  are  mere  variations  in 
orthography  and  in  the  application  of  the  rules  of  euphonic  com¬ 
bination  ( samdhi ),  nor,  for  the  reasons  discussed  below  (p.  xciv), 
most  of  those  relating  to  the  form  of  Prakrit  words. 

Gadre  Krishnamachariar 


Act  1,  p.  4,  bottom 

desad  dgatena 

desagatena 

p.  6,  top 

snitam 

srutd 

p.  6,  bottom 

Viskambhakah 

[wanting] 

p.  1 2,  middle 

niskrantd 

niskrdntah 

Act  2,  p.  34,  top 

tathd  kurutah 

[wanting] 

Act  3,  p.  44,  top 

iha  vi 

iha 

p.  44,  bottom 

kirn  cit  paranmuklii 

[wanting] 

tisthati 

p.  52,  middle 

java  se 

java 

p.  54,  middle 

pattidasi 

pattiesi 

p.  68,  top 

kaham  na  dndsi 

kaham  jdnasi 

Act  4,  p.  74,  middle 

padikka 

padi 

p.  82,  middle 

V dsavadattam  apavarya 

apavarya 

6  See  the  list  in  the  Bibliography,  p.  xv,  above. 

0  See  part  7  of  this  Introduction,  pp.  xc-xci,  above. 

7  Especially  in  the  first  speech  of  the  Jester,  Act  1,  p.  10;  cf.  notes  54  and 
56  thereon,  at  p.  103. 


XC1V 


INTRODUCTION— PART  EIGHT 


The  earlier  edition  by  Vidyasagara  (Calcutta,  1874)  has  also 
been  consulted  in  doubtful  passages,  but  it  contains  so  many  gross 
errors  that  a  collation  of  its  readings  would  yield  little  profit. 
The  Vizagapatam  edition  of  1880  was  unfortunately  not  available 
for  reference. 

Treatment  of  the  Prakrit  forms.  The  constitution  of  the 
Prakrit  portions  of  the  text  was  a  more  difficult  problem,  which 
could  not  well  be  settled  by  adhering  to  the  printed  editions  but 
demanded  a  certain  degree  of  independent  judgment.  According 
to  the  usual  rules,  the  Prakrit  of  the  prose  passages  should  be  the 
Saurasenl,  and  the  two  stanzas  (Act  3,  stanzas  8  and  9)  sung  by 
the  heroine  should  be  in  the  Maharastrl  dialect.8  The  editions  of 
Ivrishnamachariar  and  Gadre  do  indicate  this  distinction  to  some 
extent,  but  they  very  frequently,  and  in  some  cases  consistently, 
give  the  Maharastrl  forms  in  the  prose  parts  of  the  text,  e.  g. 
always  taha  instead  of  tadhci,  and  kaham  for  kadham9  Not  only 
do  they  thus  confuse  the  two  dialects,  but  they  present  many 
forms  which  are  not  correct  in  either  and  in  some  instances  offend 
against  the  elementary  rules  of  Prakrit  phonology.  To  reprint 
the  Prakrit  passages  in  the  condition  in  which  the  Indian  editors 
have  left  them  would  therefore  have  perplexed  the  students  for 
whom  the  transliterated  text  was  especially  intended,  besides  being 
contrary  to  the  practice  of  the  best  scholars,  who  have  not  hesitated, 
in  editing  the  dramas,  to  depart  from  manuscript  authority  in  this 
regard.10 

8  See  the  references  in  note  1,  above;  also  Pischel,  Grammatik  der  Prakrit- 
Sprachen,  §§  12,  22.  For  a  convenient  list  of  some  of  the  chief  differences 
between  these  two  dialects,  see  Konow  and  Lanman,  Karpura-manjarl,  p.  200. 

9  Conversely,  in  Act  3,  st.  8,  the  texts  of  K.  and  G.  have  the  Saurasenl 
ednm  in  place  of  the  Maharastrl  form  eum. 

10  The  following  remarks  by  Hillebrandt  in  the  preface  to  his  edition  of 
the  Mudraraksasa,  pp.  ii-iii,  Breslau,  1912  (with  reference  to  the  MagadhI 
dialect),  state  the  guiding  principle  clearly.  ‘At  all  events,  by  following  the 
rules  of  the  grammarians  we  gain  firm  ground,  while  by  following  the  manu¬ 
scripts  and  their  varying  practice  we  are  constantly  troubled  by  the  feeling 
of  inconsistency.  It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  write  once  gasca,  and  at 
another  time  in  the  same  dialect  gaccha,  and  therefore  we  are  forced  to 
normalize  the  text  even  where  no  manuscript  authorizes  us  to  do  so.’ 


LANGUAGE  AND  STYLE  OF  THE  PLAY 


xcv 


It  has  therefore  seemed  advisable  to  normalize  the  Prakrit  in 
the  Priyadarsika  in  general  accordance  with  the  rules  of  the  gram¬ 
marians  and  the  readings  of  the  most  authoritative  texts  as  com¬ 
piled  and  discussed  by  Pischel  in  his  monumental  Grammatik  der 
Prakrit-S prachen;  but  in  cases  where  there  was  the  possibility  of 
a  doubt  the  readings  of  Krishnamachariar  or  Gadre  have  been 
retained.11  Cappeller’s  editions  of  the  Ratnavall  (in  Bohtlingk’s 
Sanskrit-Chrestomathie ,  3d  ed.,  pp.  326-382,  Leipzig,  1909)  and 
of  the  Sakuntala  (Leipzig,  1909)  have  been  compared  for  the  par¬ 
allel  forms  found  therein,  and  much  help  has  been  derived  from 
the  Prakrit  vocabularies  and  the  apparatus  criticus  in  Konow’s 
edition  of  the  Karpuramanjari  and  in  Hillebrandt’s  edition  of  the 
Mudraraksasa.  That  a  wholly  satisfactory  result  cannot  be  ob¬ 
tained  without  full  manuscript  evidence  must  be  admitted ;  but  it 
is  hoped  that  the  form  of  the  Prakrit  text  here  presented  will 
approximate  that  which  we  should  expect  to  find  in  a  work  of  the 
classic  period. 

11  Thus,  for  example,  the  present  passive  participle  parittaanti  (p.  32,  top), 
the  gerund  baddhia  (p.  64,  middle),  and  vodia,  ‘physician’  (p.  90,  middle, 
cf.  also  vodittanam,  p.  88,  bottom),  though  difficult  of  explanation,  have 
been  retained.  On  the  other  hand,  the  gerundive  sumardidavvo  has  been 
emended  to  sumaravidavvo  (p.  28,  middle),  because  of  the  form  sumardvemi 
immediately  following;  and  the  anomalous  participle  samtappdi  has  been 
changed  to  sanitappidaim  (p.  40,  bottom),  since  samtappidena  occurs  shortly 
before.  On  p.  46,  top,  the  reading  naccidasesam  of  the  texts  has  been  cor¬ 
rected  to  naccidavvasesam,  because  the  gerundive  is  demanded  by  the  sense 
and  actually  occurs  in  the  parallel  passage  at  the  beginning  of  Act  3  (p.  38). 


XCV1 


INTRODUCTION— PART  NINE 


9 

METERS  OF  THE  STANZAS  IN  THE  PLAY  1 

[For  the  preparation  of  this  section  relating  to  the  meters  particular 
thanks  are  due  to  Dr.  George  C.  O.  Haas,,  sometime  Fellow  in  Indo- 
Iranian  Languages,  Columbia  University.] 

Number  and  variety  of  the  stanzas.  The  Priyadarsika  con¬ 
tains  fewer  stanzas  and  shows  less  variety  of  metrical  structure 
than  either  of  the  other  dramas  attributed  to  Harshadeva.2 3  In  its 
49  stanzas  only  8  different  verse-forms  are  employed,  three  of 
these  occurring  only  once  each;  and  21  stanzas,  or  somewhat  less 
than  half,  are  in  a  single  meter,  the  sardulavikridita. 

Description  of  the  meters  employed.  In  the  order  of  fre¬ 
quency  the  meters  used  are  as  follows : — 

a.  sardulavikridita.  21  stanzas:  i.  i,  3,  6,  7,  11 ;  2.  1,  3,  6,  7,  10; 

3.  4,  5,  7,  10,  13,  14,  15;  4.  1,  3,  9,  11. 

- ,  w  ^  ^  ^  |  - - 

(Hindu  scheme :  ma  sa  ja  sa  ta  ta  ga.)z 

A  caesural  pause  ( yati )  is  required  after  the  12th  syllable. — 
When,  at  a  caesural  point  in  any  meter,  final  and  initial  vowels  are 
merged  as  a  result  of  euphonic  combination,  the  samdhi-syllable 
generally  precedes  the  pause;  in  a  number  of  cases,  however, 

1  The  data  of  Stenzler  (Kiihnau,  ‘  Metrische  Sammlungen  aus  Stenzler's 
Nachlass,’  ZDMG.  44.  43-44)  are  not  entirely  accurate  for  this  play. 

2  In  the  Ratnavall  there  occur  83  stanzas  in  12  varieties  of  meter ;  in  the 
Nagananda,  120  stanzas  in  13  varieties.  (In  this  statement  of  the  number 
of  varieties  a  few  unclassified  Prakrit  stanzas  are  disregarded.) 

3  The  mnemonic  definition-sloka  of  this  compendious  Hindu  system  of 
metrical  description  is  : — 

adimadhyavasanesu  ya-ra-td  ydnti  Idghavam, 
bha-ja-sd  gauravam  ydnti,  ma-nau  tu  guru-laghavam. 

(Halayudha’s  Mrtasamjivanl,  introductory  stanza  9;  cf.  Weber,  Indische 
Studien,  8.  216.)  All  that  need  be  added  is  that  la  (suggesting  laghu) 
represents  a  single  light  syllable,  and  ga  (suggesting  guru )  a  heavy  one. 


METERS  OF  THE  STANZAS 


XCVll 


the  samdhi-syllable  follows  the  pause  (as  in  kamalen\alokyate,  sta- 
nabharen\dyam) — an  arrangement  declared  allowable  by  Hala- 
yudha  on  Pingala  6.  I  (cf.  Weber,  Indische  Studien,  8.  464-465). 
The  lines  in  which  this  occurs  are :  1.  2  a ;  2.  6  d,  10  d ;  3.  5  b,  10  a, 
14  c,  14  d. 

b.  dryd.  10  stanzas:  1.  5,  8;  2.  5,  9;  3.  1,  6,  9,  12;  4.  6,  7. 

A  jdti  (i.e.  merely  quantitative)  meter  consisting  of  two  lines 

of  30  and  27  syllabic  instants  (morae)  respectively,  with  a  pause 
after  the  12th  mora  in  each  line.  For  a  graphic  scheme  see  Ballini, 
‘  La  poesia  prof  ana,’  Studi  Italiani  di  Filologia  Indo-Iranica,  vol.  8 
(1912),  pp.  91-94. — The  stanza  Priya.  3.  6,  the  text  of  which  is 
defective,  has  been  regarded  as  probably  composed  in  the  dryd 
meter,  although  in  its  present  form  the  second  line  is  irregular. — 
The  sixth  foot  of  the  first  line  of  Priya.  4.  6  is  ^  v  v  v.  Al¬ 
though  the  usual  form  for  this  foot  is  w  the  form  with  four 
light  syllables  is  specifically  mentioned  as  permissible  in  Pingala  4. 
17,  18.  (The  statement  of  Lanman,  Sanskrit  Reader,  pp.  316- 
317,  that  this  foot  must  be  ^  -  «,  should  thus  be  slightly  modi¬ 
fied  in  the  direction  of  greater  latitude.) — One  dryd  stanza,  Priya. 
3.  9,  is  in  Prakrit. 

c.  sragdhara.  8  stanzas:  1.  2,  9,  12 ;  2.  2,  4;  3.  11;  4.  5,  12. 

- I  V  V,  W  W  W,  W  -  |  -V - ■,  w - 

(Hindu  scheme :  ma  ra  bha  na  ya  ya  ya.) 

Caesural  pauses  occur  after  the  7th  and  14th  syllables. 

d.  vasantatilakd.  5  stanzas:  1.  10;  3.  2;  4.  2,  4,  8. 

—  —  V  —  u  U  u  —  V  u  —  V  —  — 

)  1  )  )  1 

(Hindu  scheme :  ta  bha  ja  ja  ga  ga.) 

There  is  no  caesura.  (Borooah,  Sanskrit  Grammar,  vol.  10 
[Prosody],  p.  116,  §  273,  Calcutta,  1882,  demands  a  caesural  pause 
after  the  8th  syllable,  but  some  of  his  own  examples  refute  his 
statement,  and  the  caesura  is  probably  purely  optional.  It  is  not 


7 


INTRODUCTION— PART  NINE 


xcviii 

mentioned  by  Halayudha  on  Pingala  7.  8.) — Whereas  in  most  of 
the  so-called  samavrtta  meters  syllaba  anceps  is  allowed  only  at  the 
end  of  the  even  padas,  we  find  a  light  syllable  (counting  as  heavy) 
at  the  end  of  Priya.  1.  10  a;  4.  2  a,  c;  4.  8  a — a  license  which  is 
declared  to  be  allowable  in  vasantatilakd  and  the  like  by  SD.  575, 
com.  (tr.  Ballantyne  and  Mitra,  p.  283). 

e.  upajdti.  2  stanzas:  1.  4;  3.  3. 

mmm  ■■  mm  m  ^  ^  mm  ^  mm  mm  | 

*  ’  ’’  y  in  any  combination. 

w  w  "  -J 

(Hindu  scheme :  ta  ta  ja  ga  ga  and  ja  ta  ja  ga  ga.) 

This  meter  is  merely  a  combination  of  padas  of  indravajrd  and 
upendravajrd;  or,  in  other  words,  the  first  syllable  is  syllaba 
anceps.  There  is  no  caesura. 


f.  sikharim.  1  stanza:  4.  10. 


\J  V  Uj  \J  — }  —  — 


(Hindu  scheme :  ya  ma  na  sa  bha  la  ga.) 
This  meter  has  a  caesura  after  the  sixth  syllable. 


g.  mdlini.  1  stanza:  2.  8. 

\J  \J}  V  V  —  —  I  ,  V  —  — 

(Hindu  scheme :  na  na  ma  ya  ya.) 

A  caesura  follows  the  eighth  syllable  of  each  pada. 

h.  giti.  1  stanza:  3.  8. 

A  jdti  meter  consisting  of  two  lines  of  30  syllabic  instants 
(morae)  each,  with  a  pause  after  the  12th  mora  in  each  line.  For 
a  graphic  scheme  see  Ballini,  4  La  poesia  prof  ana/  Studi  Italiani 
di  Filologia  Indo-Iranica,  vol.  8  (1912),  pp.  100-101.— This  stanza, 
is  in  Prakrit. 

List  of  the  meters  in  order  of  occurrence.  The  meters  of 
the  several  stanzas  are  set  forth  in  the  following  list: — 


FLOWERS,  TREES,  AND  SHRUBS 


XC1X 


Act  i 

1.  Sdrdulavikridita 

2.  sragdhard 

3.  sdrdulavikridita 

4.  upajdti 
5*  dryd 

6.  sdrdulavikridita 

7.  sardulavikndita 
8  dr  yd 

9.  sragdhard 

10.  vasantatilaka 

11.  sardulavikndita 

12.  sragdhard 

Act  2 

1.  sardulavikndita 

2.  sragdhard 

3.  sardulavikndita 


4.  sragdhard 
5-  aryd 

6.  sardulavikndita 

7.  sardulavikndita 

8.  malini 

9.  dryd 

10.  sardiilavikridita 

Act  3 

1.  ary  a 

2.  vasantatilaka 

3.  upajdti 

4.  sardulavikndita 

5.  sardulavikndita 

6.  dryd  [defective] 

7.  sardulavikndita 

8.  giti  [in  Prakrit] 

9.  dry  a  [in  Prakrit] 

10.  sardulavikndita 


11.  sragdhard 

12.  dryd 

13.  sardiilavikridita 

14.  sardulavikndita 

15.  sardulavikndita 

Act  4 

1.  sdrdulavikridita 

2.  vasantatilaka 

3.  sdrdulavikridita 

4.  vasantatilaka 

5.  sragdhard 

6.  dryd 

7.  dryd 

8.  vasantatilaka 

9.  sdrdulavikridita 

10.  sikharinx 

11.  sdrdulavikridita 

12.  sragdhard 


10 

FLOWERS,  TREES,  AND  SHRUBS  MENTIONED  IN  THE 

PLAY 

[The  material  presented  in  this  section  relating  to  the  flora  was  col¬ 
lected  by  Dr.  G.  Payn  Quackenbos,  Instructor  in  Latin  at  the  Col¬ 
lege  of  the  City  of  New  York,  who  was  at  one  time  a  student  in  the 
Indo-Iranian  Department  at  Columbia  University.] 

Introduction.  The  range  of  flowers,  trees,  and  shrubs  men¬ 
tioned  in  the  Priyadarsika,  as  well  as  the  identification  of  the  indi¬ 
vidual  plants,  may  be  ascertained  from  the  following  list  of  floral 
terms.  In  order  to  facilitate  further  investigation,  references  are 
given  to  W.  Roxburgh,  Flora  Indica,  3  vols.,  Serampore,  1832 ;  E. 
Balfour,  Cyclopaedia  of  India,  3d  ed.,  3  vols.,  London,  1885 ;  and 
J.  D.  Hooker,  The  Flora  of  British  India,  vols.  1-5,  London,  1872- 
1890  [vols.  6-7  were  not  available].  The  passages  in  which  the 
several  words  occur  are  indicated  by  reference  to  the  translation 


c 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TEN 


(in  which  they  can  be  more  easily  found  than  in  the  text),  the 
words  top ,  middle,  and  bottom  denoting  respectively  the  upper, 
middle,  and  lower  third  of  the  page.  Words  occurring  in  the 
stage-directions  are  distinguished  by  the  affixed  letters  ‘  s.d.’,  and 
the  total  number  of  occurrences  of  each  term  is  appended  within 
square  brackets  at  the  right  margin. 

FLORAL  TERMS 

(IN  SANSKRIT  ALPHABETICAL  ORDER) 

ambhoruha:  lotus,  Nelumbium  speciosum.  See  kamala. 

Act  2,  stanza  4  c,  page  27.  [1] 

utpala:  water-lily,  Nymphaea  (Roxburgh,  .2.  576-579;  Hooker, 
1.  114-115).  Cf.  nllotpala. 

Act  3,  stanza  15b,  page  69  (tr.  ‘lotus’).  [1] 

\ 

kadali:  the  plantain  (or  ‘banana’),  Musa  sapientum  (Roxburgh, 
1.  663-664).  A  plant  with  a  stalk  about  12  feet  in  height, 
with  smooth,  vivid  green  leaves,  6  feet  long  by  2  wide,  large 
purple  flowers,  and  bearing  from  150  to  180  plantains. 
See  Balfour,  2.  1015,  col.  2. 

Act  1,  stanza  9  d,  page  15. 

Act  2,  page  33,  middle. 

page  33,  bottom  (s.d.). 

Act  3,  page  39,  middle. 

page  43,  middle.  [5] 

kamala:  lotus,  Nelumbium  speciosum  (Roxburgh,  2.  647-650; 
Hooker,  1.  115-116).  See  Balfour,  2.  1080,  col.  2. 

Act  2,  page  23,  middle, 
page  25,  middle, 
stanza  6  d,  page  29. 
page  31,  top  (s.d.). 
page  31,  top. 
page  33,  bottom, 
stanza  9,  page  35. 

Act  4,  stanza  8,  page  87. 


[8] 


FLOWERS,  TREES,  AND  SHRUBS 


ci 


kamalini :  a  lotus  plant ;  a  group  of  lotuses.  See  kamala. 

Act  2,  page  29,  middle  (s.d.). 
page  31,  middle. 

Act  3,  page  41,  bottom. 

page  45,  middle  (s.d.).  [4] 

kuvalaya:  water-lily,  Nymphaea.  Cf.  utpala. 

Act  2,  stanza  8  d,  page  33.  [1] 

kusuma:  flower. 

Act  2,  page  23,  middle, 
page  23,  bottom, 
page  27,  bottom. 

Act  3,  page  43,  top.  [4] 

gulma:  clump  of  bushes. 

Act  2,  page  29,  top. 

Act  3,  page  39,  middle.  [2] 

tamala:  name  of  a  medium-sized  tree.  PWb.  says:  ‘  Xantho- 
chymus  pictorius  Roxb. ;  die  Bliithe  ist  weisslich.’  Apte : 
‘  Name  of  a  tree  with  a  very  dark  bark.’  Monier-Williams  : 
4  dark-barked  (but  white-blossomed),  Xanthochymus  pic¬ 
torius;  [also]  a  sort  of  black  Khadira  tree,  Lexicogra¬ 
phers].’  Balfour,  3.  1098,  col.  2:  4  This  beautiful  tree  is 
remarkable  for  its  black  [ !  ]  flowers.  ...  [It  grows  in 
mountainous  and  wooded  districts]  and  is  cultivated  in 
gardens.  (Roxb.  2,  p.  633.)’  [Evidently  Balfour  has  con¬ 
fused  the  color  of  the  bark  and  that  of  the  flowers.] 
Hooker,  1.  269,  calls  it  Garcinia  Xanthochymus  and  states 
that  the  flowers  are  white. 

Act  2,  page  23,  middle.  [1] 

taru:  tree. 

Act  1,  stanza  12  c,  page  19. 

Act  2,  stanza  4  b,  page  27.  [2] 


Cll 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TEN 


nalinl:  lotus,  Nelumbium  speciosum;  a  group  of  lotuses;  a  place 
abounding  in  lotuses.  See  kamala. 

Act  2,  page  29,  middle. 

stanza  10  c,  page  37  (meaning:  ‘pool’). 
Act  3,  page  43,  top. 

page  43,  top  (s.d.). 
page  45,  top. 
page  45,  middle. 

page  45,  bottom.  [7] 

nilotpala:  blue  water-lily,  Nymphaea  cyanea  (Roxburgh,  2.  577- 
578),  Nymphaea  stellata,  var.  cyanea  (Hooker,  1.  114). 
Balfour,  2.  1117,  col.  1:  ‘has  large  bluish  flowers/ 

Act  2,  page  31,  middle. 

Act  3,  page  57,  bottom. 

page  57,  bottom  (s.d.). 
page  67,  top  (s.d.). 

page  67,  top.  [5] 

pankaja:  lotus.  See  kamala. 

Act  2,  stanza  5  b,  page  27.  [  1  ] 

padma :  flower  of  the  lotus,  Nelumbium  speciosum.  See  kamala. 
Act  1,  page  5,  bottom. 

Act  2,  stanza  2  c,  page  23. 
page  29,  middle, 
stanza  7  d,  page  31. 
stanza  8  b,  page  33. 
stanza  10  a,  page  35. 

Act  3,  stanza  11a,  page  63.  [7] 

pallava:  twig,  shoot,  bud  (always  with  reference  to  hands). 

Act  2,  page  27,  bottom, 
page  31,  top. 

stanza  9  c,  page  35.  [3] 

puspa:  flower. 

Act  2,  page  29,  bottom  (s.d.).  [1] 


FLOWERS,  TREES,  AND  SHRUBS  cm 

bakula:  a  rather  tall  tree,  Mimusops  Elengi,  Linn.  (Roxburgh,  2. 
236-238;  Hooker,  3.  548).  Balfour,  2.  950:  4  It  has  dark, 
evergreen,  oblong,  alternate  leaves,  and  small  pale  brown 
or  white,  sweet-smelling,  fragrant  flowers,  of  moderate  size/ 
According  to  the  convention  of  poets,  it  puts  forth  blossoms 
when  sprinkled  with  mouthfuls  of  wine  or  nectar  by  lovely 
young  women;  cf.  Ratnavali,  act  1,  stanza  19,  ed.  Godabole 
and  Parab,  p.  10. 

Act  2,  page  23,  middle.  [1] 

bandhujiva:  name  of  a  plant,  Pentapetes  phoenicea.  See  ban- 
dhuka. 

Act  3,  stanza  14  b,  page  69.  [1] 

bandhuka:  name  of  a  plant,  Pentapetes  phoenicea  (Roxburgh,  3. 
157-158;  Hooker,  1.  371-372).  Balfour,  3.  178,  col.  1: 
‘  Its  flowers  yield  a  mucilaginous  cooling  juice,  used  in 
special  diseases ;  considered  to  be  astringent.  It  is  an  erect 
growing  plant;  flowers  axillary,  large,  expand  at  noon,  of 
a  bright  red  colour,  and  drop  by  daylight  next  morning/ 
Balfour  refers  to  Powell  [?],  1,  p.  333.  PWb.  gives  the 
alternative  botanical  designation  Terminalia  tomentosa;  on 
this,  which  is  a  tall  tree,  see  Balfour,  3.  850,  col.  2. 

Act  2,  page  23,  middle. 

stanza  3  c,  page  25.  [2] 

malati:  jasmine,  Jasminum  grandiflorum,  Linn.  (Roxburgh,  1. 
100;  Hooker,  3.  603).  PWb.:  *  mit  weissen,  sehr  wohl- 
riechenden  Bliithen,  die  sich  gegen  Abend  offnen/  Balfour, 
2.  420,  col.  1 :  ‘It  is  the  most  exquisitely  fragrant  species 
of  the  genus,  and  is  very  generally  cultivated,  the  oil  being 
much  prized  as  a  perfume;  and  the  large  white  flowers, 
having  a  most  powerful  scent,  and  being  in  blossom  through¬ 
out  the  year,  are  used  in  garlands  on  all  festive  occasions/ 

Act  2,  page  23,  middle. 

Act  3,  page  41,  bottom. 


[2] 


CIV 


INTRODUCTION— PART  TEN 


lata:  a  creeper. 

Act  2,  page  23,  middle  ( malati ). 

page  27,  bottom  (reference  to  arms).  [2] 

sirisa:  name  of  a  tree,  Mimosa  sirissa  (Roxburgh,  2.  544-545), 
Albizzia  Lebbek  (Hooker,  2.  298),  with  fragrant,  but  very 
delicate  flowers  (R.  Schmidt,  Beitrage  zur  indischen  Erotik, 
1st  ed.,  pp.  221,  325,  Leipzig,  1902).  This  same  tree  is 
called  also  Acacia  speciosa  (Acacia  sirissa,  Buch.).  Bal¬ 
four,  1.  14-15 :  ‘  Attains  an  extreme  height  of  30  feet,  and 
circumference  4^4  feet,  the  height  from  the  ground  to  the 
intersection  of  the  first  branch  being  22  feet/ 

Act  2,  stanza  3  a,  page  23.  [1] 

sephalika:  a  small  tree,  Nyctanthes  arbor-tristis,  Linn.  (Roxburgh, 
1.  86-87;  Hooker,  3.  603-604).  Balfour,  2.  1116,  col.  1: 

1 

‘  A  charming  little  tree,  with  rough  scabrous  leaves,  well 
known  for  the  delicious  though  evanescent  perfume  of  its 
flowers.  ...  Its  delicate  orange  and  white  blossoms  pour 
the  most  delicious  fragrance  on  the  evening  air  and  then 
fall  in  showers/ 

Act  2,  stanza  2  a,  page  23. 
page  25,  top. 

page  25,  bottom. 

page  29,  middle.  [4] 

saptacchada:  a  tree  (Echites  scholaris,  Linn.),  Alstonia  scholaris 
(Hooker,  3.  642).  PWb.:  *  benannt  nach  der  Zahl  ihrer 
quirlformig  gestellten  Blatter/  Balfour,  1.  82-83:  4  con¬ 
siderable-sized  tree;  .  .  .  the  whole  plant  abounds  in  a 
milky  juice.’  See  saptaparna. 

Act  2,  stanza  2  b,  page  23.  [1] 

saptaparna:  a  tree  ( padapa ),  Alstonia  scholaris.  The  feminine 
in  -l  is  the  name  of  the  plant  Mimosa  pudica  (on  which  see 
Balfour,  2.  950,  col.  1),  but  the  masculine  (as  here)  is  a 
synonym  of  saptacchada,  q.v. 

Act  2,  page  23,  bottom. 


[1] 


USE  OF  A  PLAY  WITHIN  A  PLAY 


cv 


APPENDIX 

NOTES  ON  THE  USE  OF  A  PLAY  WITHIN  A  PLAY  ON 

THE  SANSKRIT  STAGE  1 

The  introduction  of  a  play  within  a  play,  or  the  employment  of 
such  dramatic  interludes,  is  familiar  to  every  student  of  the 
English  stage  since  the  days  of  Hamlet’s  *  Mousetrap.’  The  same 
dramatic  device  was  known  to  the  playwrights  of  India,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  find  that  the  import  and  character  of  these  episodic 
performances  were  duly  taken  into  consideration  by  Sanskrit  dra¬ 
matic  critics  of  antiquity. 

An  episodic  play  is  likened  by  De  Quincey  to  a  picture  within 
a  painted  scene.  Its  purpose,  dramatically,  is  to  develop  the  action 
or  to  bring  out  character.  On  the  English  stage,  for  example,  the 
play  scene  in  Hamlet  is  a  turning-point  in  the  drama;  and  the 
action  is  similarly  advanced  by  the  inserted  dramatic  performance 
in  Kyd’s  Spanish  Tragedy  and  in  Greene’s  James  the  Fourth.  An 
example  of  the  employment  of  a  play  within  a  play  chiefly  in  order 
to  develop  character  is  found  in  the  Sir  Thomas  More  (perhaps  the 
earliest  instance  of  such  a  dramatic  interlude  in  English),  or  again 
in  the  Interlude  of  the  Nine  Worthies  in  Love’s  Labour’s  Lost. 
The  double  usage  of  this  dramatic  element  seems  to  be  united  in 
just  proportion  and  in  even  balance  when  we  come  to  the  trades¬ 
man’s  play  of  Pyramus  and  Thisby  in  Midsummer  Night’s  Dream. 
So  much  by  way  of  introduction. 

From  the  histrionic  standpoint,  the  occurrence  of  a  play  within 
a  play  implies  a  considerable  previous  dramatic  development  and 
history :  this  is  not  a  dramatic  device  that  naturally  belongs  to  the 
infancy  of  the  drama;  it  occurs  usually  in  the  more  advanced 
stages  of  the  art.  The  preliminary  steps  that  gave  rise  to  the  play 
within  play  we  can  easily  trace  in  England.  Its  growth  is  readily 

1  Reprinted  with  minor  alterations  from  an  article  by  A.  V.  Williams 
Jackson,  ‘  Certain  Dramatic  Elements  in  Sanskrit  Plays,  with  Parallels  in 
the  English  Drama,’  in  American  Journal  of  Philology,  vol.  19  (1898), 
pages  242-247. 


CV1 


INTRODUCTION— APPENDIX 


seen  from  the  old  Interlude,  which  was  the  last  piece  of  scaffolding 
used  in  the  pre-Elizabethan  drama  before  we  have  the  completed 
edifice  of  the  actual  great  drama  under  Renaissance  influences. 
In  India,  unfortunately,  we  cannot  trace  [aside  from  the  plays  of 
Bhasa]  the  evolution  of  the  pre-Kalidasan  drama,  nor  do  we  have 
the  play  within  play  in  Kalidasa’s  dramatic  works,  and  yet  in  his 
successors  the  episodic  performance  appears  fully  developed. 

In  the  Sanskrit  dramatic  canons  the  name  of  a  little  play  incor¬ 
porated  within  an  act  is  garbhdnka  or  garbhandtaka,  ‘  embryo- 
play  ’ ;  this  is  defined  in  the  Sahityadarpana,  ch.  6,  279,  ed.  Roer, 
p.  127;  tr.  Ballantyne  and  Mitra,  p.  176: — 

ahkodarapravisto  yo  rangadvaramukhadiman 
ahko  J parah  sa  garbhdnkah  sabijah  phalavdn  api 

‘  A  secondary  act  which  is  incorporated  into  the  body  of  an  act,  and  which 
has  its  own  Preliminaries,  Introduction,  etc.,  and  has  a  Germinal  Scene  (lit. 
‘seed’)  and  a  Denouement  (lit.  ‘  fruit  ’),  is  known  as  a  Garbhdnka  (i.e. 
interlude,  play  within  play).’ 

The  Sanskrit  commentary  to  the  passage  cites  the  dramatic  inter¬ 
lude  of  ‘  Sita’s  Svayamvara  ’  in  Rajasekhara’s  Balaramayana  as 
an  illustration  of  the  Garbhanka:  yathd  balardmdyane  .  .  .  sita- 
svayamvaro  ndma  garbhdnkah  (text,  p.  127 ;  transl.,  p.  176).  Three 
instances  of  the  Garbhanka  will  be  examined  here  (cf.  also  PWb. 
and  Apte,  Skt.-Engl.  Diet.),  and  one  or  two  other  scenes  in  the 
Sanskrit  drama  that  are  somewhat  kindred  to  the  Garbhanka  will 
be  noticed  in  addition.  These  latter  stand  in  about  the  same  rela¬ 
tion  to  the  episodic  play  as  the  masque  and  dumb-show  scenes  in 
Shakespeare’s  Cymbeline,  Pericles,  and  Hamlet.  If  space  allowed 
it,  attention  might  also  be  given  to  the  nature  of  the  Viskambhaka, 
or  Explanatory  Scene,  which  is  inserted  between  the  acts  as  an 
induction  or  prelude,  and  serves  somewhat  the  same  dramatic  office 
as  that  discharged  by  the  Chorus  in  Shakespeare’s  Henry  the  Fifth 
[cf.  Dasarupa  1.  116,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  34,  New  York,  1912]. 
The  discussion,  however,  is  limited  to  the  single  point  under  con¬ 
sideration,  the  Garbhanka. 

Neither  in  Sudraka,  the  reputed  author  of  the  Mrcchakatika, 
nor  in  Kalidasa’s  three  dramas,  have  we  an  example  of  a  play 


USE  OF  A  PLAY  WITHIN  A  PLAY 


evil 


within  play.  The  intermezzo  of  the  dancing  and  song  scene  in 
the  Malavikagnimitra  (act  2)  is  not  a  point  for  consideration  here. 
In  the  Vikramorvasi  the  Garbhaiika  might  perhaps  have  been  in¬ 
troduced  with  advantage.  In  this  drama  Kalidasa  might  possibly 
have  arranged  as  a  play  within  a  play  the  brief  story  of  ‘  LaksmI’s 
Choice/  the  dramatic  production  in  which  the  divine  nymph  UrvasI 
made  the  fatal  blunder  in  speaking  her  line  falsely.  This  he  has 
chosen  instead  to  give  in  narrative  in  the  Viskambhaka  (see  also 
the  definition  of  viskambhaka  in  SD.  308). 

The  first  real  instance  of  the  play  within  play  is  to  be  found  in 
the  Priyadarsika  of  SrI-Harshadeva  (7th  century  A.  D.).  The 
extensive  dramatic  allusions  in  this  piece  and  the  elaborate  prepa¬ 
rations  for  this  cleverly  introduced  scene  on  which  the  play  turns 
remind  one  remotely  of  the  numerous  dramatic  references  in  Love’s 
Labour’s  Lost,  Hamlet,  or  Midsummer  Night’s  Dream.  The  plot 
of  the  Priyadarsika  is  a  story  of  love  and  court  intrigue  at  the 
palace  of  King  Vatsa,  or  Udayana.  On  the  evening  of  the  Kau- 
mudl  festival,  a  play  is  to  be  presented  for  the  entertainment  of 
the  Queen.  The  circumstances  of  the  scene  are  to  represent,  in  a 
complimentary  manner,  how  King  Vatsa  first  won  the  love  and  the 
hand  of  his  royal  consort  by  giving  her  lessons  upon  the  lute.  The 
queen’s  maid-in- waiting  (the  lost  princess  Priyadarsika  in  disguise) 
is  to  play  the  role  of  the  erstwhile  princess  Vasavadatta.  One  of 
the  court  maidens  is  to  assume  male  disguise  and  to  impersonate 
the  king.  But  King  Vatsa  has  actually  fallen  deeply  in  love  with 
Priyadarsika,  and  by  cunning  intrigue  it  is  arranged  that  he  himself 
shall  assume  the  role  of  instructor  in  music,  and  shall  play  the  part 
of  love-making  to  the  fair  Priyadarsika  in  the  very  presence  of 
the  Queen.  So  real  does  the  action  seem  that  the  Queen  heartily 
applauds,  until  the  realism  surpasses  ordinary  bounds  and  she  dis¬ 
covers  the  ruse  to  which  she  has  been  a  victim  and  interrupts  the 
scene,  when  the  performance  is  stopped  somewhat  as  in  the  Hamlet 
episode.  This  interpolated  play-scene  occupies  the  major  part  of 
the  third  of  the  four  acts  which  make  up  this  bright  little  comedy, 
and  it  forms  an  integral  part  of  the  drama;  for,  after  it,  the  in- 


CV111 


INTRODUCTION— APPENDIX 


cognito  heroine  is  discovered  to  be  the  long-lost  princess  whom 
Fate  and  her  father  had  before  betrothed  to  the  king,  and  she  is 
received  as  his  youngest  wife.  The  whole  scene  is  one  that  is  well 
managed,  and  the  situation  which  is  brought  about  by  this  Gar- 
bhanka  is  cleverly  designed. 

The  next  dramatist  of  India  who  makes  use  of  the  dramatic 

i 

interlude  is  the  renowned  Bhavabhuti,  in  the  eighth  century  of  our 
era.  In  the  last  act  (act  7)  of  his  well-known  drama,  the  Uttara- 
ramacarita,  or  Latter  Deeds  of  Rama,  there  occurs  a  theatrical 
representation  which  is  as  much  essential  to  the  solution  of  the 
piece  as  is  the  kindred  masque  in  the  last  act  of  Shakespeare’s 
Cymbeline.  The  story  is  the  familiar  one ;  the  play  is  a  sort  of 
Sanskrit  Winter’s  Tale.  Like  Leontes  in  the  Winter’s  Tale,  Rama 
has  banished  his  faithful  wife  Slta,  and  he  has  never  seen  the 
twin  sons,  Kusa  and  Lava,  that  were  born  in  the  forest  wilds. 
Like  Guiderius  and  Aviragus,  reared  by  old  Belarius  in  the  Cym¬ 
beline,  they  have  grown  to  be  youths  of  heroic  mold.  In  the  sixth 
act  of  the  play,  Fate  has  restored  these  manly  striplings  to  their 
father’s  arms.  But  the  joy  is  not  complete;  Sita,  the  counterpart 
of  the  patient  Griselda,  must  be  restored,  and  for  this  touching 
scene  Bhavabhuti  has  chosen  the  device  of  a  miniature  play  or 
masque  in  which  the  circumstances  of  the  birth  and  youth  of  the 
royal  lads  are  re-enacted  before  the  father.  A  sense  of  the  lapse 
of  time  that  has  taken  place  in  the  play  is  produced  as  in  the 
Cymbeline.  The  scene  is  worth  describing  in  the  next  paragraph, 
as  it  conveys  a  good  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  such  a  masque- 
production  was  conducted  on  the  Sanskrit  stage,  and  it  brings  out 
the  point  which  was  noted  above,  that  of  adding  reality  to  a  play 
by  making  its  own  actors  spectators  at  a  mimic  play  within  itself. 
The  principal  details  of  the  scene  may  be  gathered  from  the  fol¬ 
lowing  notes  and  parallels. 

Rama,  filled  with  grief  for  the  loss  of  his  banished  wife,  comes 
to  the  banks  of  the  Ganges,  where  a  play  of  the  revered  sage 
Valmiki  is  to  be  presented.  One  is  reminded  of  Shakespeare’s 
lines  in  the  Midsummer  Night’s  Dream :  ‘  this  green  plot  shall  be 


USE  OF  A  PLAY  WITHIN  A  PLAY 


cix 


our  stage,  this  hawthorn-brake  our  tiring  house.’  The  audience 
take  their  seats  as  in  the  Hamlet  play.  The  stage-manager  ( siltra - 
dhdra,  Uttara.  act  7,  near  beg.),  in  strict  dramatic  fashion,  speaks 
the  prologue.  The  circumstances  attending  upon  the  birth  of 
Rama’s  sons  in  the  forest  are  now  enacted,  even  with  such  graphic 
detail  as  bringing,  or  pretending  to  bring,  the  infant  babes  upon 
the  stage.  The  divine  promise  of  their  future  greatness  is  made, 
and  the  purity  of  their  mother,  the  chaste  Slta,  is  vindicated.  So 
vivid  does  the  scene  become  that  Rama  is  moved  to  tears  and  grief ; 
but  his  cup  is  turned  from  bitterness  and  sorrow  to  overflowing 
sweetness  and  joy  when  the  fictitious  Slta  of  the  mimic  play,  like 
Hermione  of  the  Winter’s  Tale,  is  found  really  to  be  his  wife  and 
she  takes  her  place  by  his  side  as  queen,  instead  of  the  golden 
statue  which  Rama  had  set  up  ( hiranmayi  sitdydh  pratikrtih,  acts 
2,  3,  and  7). 

The  third  example  of  the  Garbhanka  is  the  illustration  given  in 

♦ 

the  commentary  to  the  Sahityadarpana  passage  cited  above  (ch.  6, 
279).  It  is  found  in  act  3  of  the  long  ten-act  play  Balaramayana 
of  Rajasekhara,  whose  date  is  placed  between  the  ninth  and  the 
tenth  centuries  of  our  era.  For  the  text  see  Balaramayana,  ed. 
Govindadeva  Sastri,  pp.  58-85.  The  story  is  the  familiar  one  in 
the  Rama  cycle,  and  it  is  excellently  summarized  in  Levi’s  Le 
Theatre  indien,  pp.  272-277,  of  which  I  have  made  use.  The 
demon-king  Ravana,  as  an  unsuccessful  suitor  for  the  hand  of  the 
beautiful  Slta,  has  become  the  sworn  enemy  of  her  husband,  Rama. 
The  play  describes  how  he  pines  away  with  hopeless  love.  A 
dramatic  troupe  visits  his  palace  under  the  directorship  of  Kohala ; 
arrangements  are  made  to  have  a  performance  before  the  king 
(Balaramayana,  act  3,  p.  58,  ed.  G.  Sastri).  By  happy  or  un¬ 
happy  chance,  the  subject  of  the  miniature  play  is  the  betrothal  of 
Slta  to  Rama  ( sitdsvayamvara  iti  ndtakam).  The  Garbhanka, 
interlude  or  interpolated  spectacle,  begins ;  and  its  action,  as  before 
noted,  serves  to  make  the  actual  drama  itself  more  realistic.  The 
very  scene  is  enacted  of  Rama’s  triumph  over  all  rivals;  the  en¬ 
raged  Ravana  can  scarce  suppress  the  fury  of  his  heart,  in  spite 


cx 


INTRODUCTION— APPENDIX 


of  efforts  made  to  pacify  him  and  despite  the  assurance  that  it  is 
a  mere  exhibition  or  spectacle  ( preksana )  [cf.  note  84  on  Act  3 
of  the  Priyadarsika,  in  the  present  volume,  page  121].  The  play¬ 
ers’  scene  is  interrupted  as  in  Hamlet,  and  the  Garbharika  comes 
to  a  close :  iti  niskrdntdh  sarve,  sitdsvayamvaro  ndma  garbhahkah, 
p.  85,  ed.  Govindadeva  Sastri.  A  similar  interruption  of  a  mimic 
play  was  recorded  above  in  the  case  of  the  Priyadarsika.  While 
speaking  of  the  Balaramayana  from  the  dramatic  standpoint,  men¬ 
tion  might  be  made  in  passing  of  the  idea  of  the  use  of  the  mario¬ 
nettes  or  puppet  representation  which  is  alluded  to  in  the  Viskam- 
bhaka  to  act  5  of  this  play  and  developed  in  the  course  of  the  act, 
but  the  likeness  is  more  remote. 

Three  plays,  accordingly,  have  here  been  examined  as  illustrating 
the  use  of  an  interpolated  act  or  miniature  play.  These  are 
Harshadeva’s  Priyadarsika,  Bhavabhuti’s  Uttar aramacarita,  and 
Rajasekhara’s  Balaramayana.  The  list  may  be  extended  by  fur¬ 
ther  reading. 

Finally,  attention  may  be  drawn  in  this  connection  to  an  element 
or  dramatic  incident  that  is  akin  to  the  dumb-show  or  Prospero’s 
beautiful  masque  in  the  Tempest:  it  is  the  scene  in  Harshadeva’s 
Ratnavali  (act  4,  p.  68,  ed.  Godabole  and  Parab;  cf.  Wilson, 
Theatre  of  the  Hindus,  2.  306  ff.)  in  which  the  king  and  the  queen 
sit  and  watch  the  magician  Samvara-Siddhi  waving  his  bunch  of 
peacock  feathers  ( picchakam  bhrdmayan)  and  conjuring  up  before 
the  mind’s  eye  marvels  and  wonders  that  surpass  even  the  surprises 
which  Prospero’s  wand  called  forth  for  Ferdinand  and  Miranda. 
It  is  true  that  this  scene  is  merely  a  performance  to  the  mind’s  eye 
and  does  not  strictly  come  within  the  scope  of  a  play  within  a  play, 
but  it  requires  mention  because  it  resembles  the  masque  element 
or  dumb-show  incident  and  causes  the  regular  action  of  the  drama 
to  be  suspended  for  the  time  being  and  also  contributes  to  the 
denouement.  Another  example  comparable  with  this,  but  really 
one  that  is  more  important,  as  it  forms  the  opening  of  the  action 
of  the  play  in  which  it  occurs,  is  the  magic  scene  in  Rajasekhara’s 
Karpuramanjarl  [act  1,  ed.  Konow  and  Lanman,  text,  pp.  26-36, 


USE  OF  A  PLAY  WITHIN  A  PLAY 


cxi 


transl.,  pp.  236-242] .  In  this  the  sorcerer  Bhairavananda,  through 
his  art  as  a  wizard,  brings  upon  the  stage  the  fair  heroine,  with 
whom  the  king  falls  in  love.  The  scene  reminds  one  in  its  char¬ 
acter  of  the  parallel  situation  in  Marlowe’s  famous  play  in  which 
Faustus  beholds  the  vision  of  Helen  of  Troy  (Doctor  Faustus,  ed. 
Ward,  pp.  38-41,  Oxford,  1892).  Both  these  illustrations,  it  is 
true,  lie  strictly  outside  the  present  subject,  but  there  is  at  least  an 
indirect  kinship  with  the  interpolated  play. 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  said  that  enough  has  been  brought  for¬ 
ward  to  show  that  the  device  of  a  play  within  a  play  was  employed 
with  good  effect  in  the  Sanskrit  drama.  The  employment  of  this 
element  in  the  far-away  dramas  of  India  is  not  without  interest, 
for  it  is  a  device  that  was  unknown  to  the  classic  drama  of  Greece 
and  Rome;  nor  does  it  seem  to  have  been  elaborated  elsewhere 
until  we  find  it  fully  developed  and  flourishing  in  our  own  drama 
at  its  rise  during  the  great  age  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  The  gar - 
bhanka  of  early  India  is  therefore  the  play  within  a  play  of  later 
Europe.  Orient  and  Occident,  after  all,  are  not  so  remote  from 
each  other  in  art. 


TEXT  AND  TRANSLATION 


DRAMATIS  PERSONAE 


Stage-manager  (sutradhara) ,  who  appears  in  the  Induction  and 
probably  recites  the  two  stanzas  of  the  Invocation  at  the  open¬ 
ing  of  the  play. 


Vatsaraja,  or  Udayana,  King  of  KausambI,  hero  of  the  drama. 

Vasantaka,  Jester  (vidusaka) ,  friend  and  confidant  of  the  King, 

Rumanvant,  minister  to  Vatsaraja. 

Vijayasena,  general  of  the  army  of  Vatsaraja. 

Vinayavasu,  chamberlain  ( kancukin )  of  Drdhavarman,  King  of 
the  Arigas. 

Vasavadatta,  daughter  of  King  Mahasena-Pradyota,  Queen  to 
Vatsaraja. 

Aranyaka,  whose  real  name  is  Priyadarsika  (or  Priyadarsana), 
daughter  of  King  Drdhavarman  and  heroine  of  the  play,  living 
unknown  at  Vatsaraja’s  court  as  attendant  to  the  Queen. 

Manorama,  a  female  attendant,  confidante  of  Aranyaka. 

Indlvarika,  a  maidservant  ( ceti )  of  the  Queen. 

Kancanamala,  a  handmaiden  of  the  Queen. 

Sankrtyayani,  an  elderly  lady  of  rank  and  associate  of  the  Queen. 

Yasodhara,  portress  ( pratihdri ),  female  doorkeeper  at  Vatsa- 
raja’s  court. 

A  Bard,  behind  the  scene  at  the  close  of  Act  i. 

Retinue  attendant  upon  the  Queen. 

CHARACTERS  OF  THE  MIMIC  PLAY 

Vasavadatta,  daughter  of  King  Mahasena — acted  by  Aranyaka. 

Vatsaraja — acted  by  himself. 

Kancanamala,  handmaiden  of  Vasavadatta — acted  by  herself. 

Chamberlain  of  Mahasena — presumably  acted  by  a  chamberlain 
of  Vatsaraja. 


DRAMATIS  PERSONAE 


3 


NOTE.  The  heroine  is  the  daughter  of  King  Drdhavarman  and  his  un¬ 
named  consort,  who  is  the  sister  of  Angaravati,  mother  to  Queen  Vasava- 
datta  (Act  4,  notes  6,  41,  51).  Consequently  the  heroine  and  the  Queen  in 
our  drama  are  daughters  of  sisters  and  therefore  first  cousins,  as  shown  in 
the  denouement. 


Place:  The  scene  is  laid  at  the  palace  of  Vatsaraja  at  Kausambi. 
The  Explanatory  Scene  of  Act  1,  however,  is  laid  in  some  part 
of  the  Vindhya  Forest. 

Time :  Fifth  century  B.C.,  in  the  first  part  of  the  reign  of  Udayana 
Vatsaraja.  (See  Introduction,  part  5.) 

Duration  of  the  Action:  Somewhat  more  than  a  year,  from  one 
autumn  to  the  next.  (See  Introduction,  part  4.) 

SW*  The  superior  figures  in  the  Translation  refer  to  the  Notes,  pages  97- 
131.  In  order  to  avoid  cumbersome  figures,  the  Notes  on  each  Act  are 
numbered  separately. 


PRIYADARSIKA 
PRATHAMO  ’NKAH 
[Prastavana] 

[Nandi] 

Dhumavyakuladrstir  indukiranair  ahladitaksi  punah 
pasyanti  varam  utsuka  ’natamukhi  bhuyo  hriya  Brahmanah 
sersya  padanakhendudarpanagate  Gangam  dadhane  Hare 
sparsad  utpulaka  karagrahavidhau  Gaurl  sivaya  ’stu  vah  [  i  ] 


api  ca: — 

Kailasadrav  udaste  paricalati  Ganesu  ’llasatkautukesu 
krodam  matuh  Kumare  visati  Visamuci  preksamane  sarosam 
padavastambhasidadvapusi  Dasamukhe  yati  Patalamulam 
kruddho  Jpy  aslistamurtir  bhayaghanam  Umaya  patu  tustah 

Sivo  nah  [2] 


( nandyante ) 

Sutradharah.  ( parikramya )  adya  ’ham  vasantotsave 
sabahumanam  ahuya  nanadigdesad  agatena  rajnah  sri- 
Harsadevasya  padapadmopajivina  rajasamuheno  ’ktah:  yatha 
’smatsvamina  sri-Harsadevena  ’purvavasturacanalamkrta 


4 


PRIYADARSIKA 


ACT  I 

[INDUCTION]1 

[Invocation] 

Her  glance  is  troubled  by  the  smoke  [of  the  altar],  and  yet  her  eyes 
are  gladdened  by  the  moonbeams; 

She  looks  with  longing  at  the  bridegroom,  but  again  bows  down  her 
face  through  modesty  in  Brahma’s  presence; 

She  feels  jealousy  [when  she  beholds],  reflected  in  the  mirror  of 
the  moonlike  nails  of  her  feet,  Hara  (Siva)  supporting  Ganga; 

Yet  she  is  thrilled  by  his  touch  in  the  rite  of  hand-clasping. — May 
She,  Gauri  (Parvatl),  be  gracious  unto  you!2  [i] 

And  again3 : — 

Mount  Kailasa4  upheaved  is  quaking,  the  Ganas5  manifest  their 
amazement, 

Kumara6  clings  to  his  mother’s  lap,  the  poison-venting  Serpent7  glares 
with  rage, 

his  frame  tottering  on  his  firm-set  feet9; 

And  the  Ten-headed  One  (Ravana)  descends  to  the  depths  of  Patala,8 
Yet  Siva,  for  all  his  wrath,  is  delighted  at  being  embraced  by  Uma 
(Parvatl)  in  the  excess  of  her  fear. — May  He  protect  us!  [2] 

{At  the  end  of  the  Invocation10 :) 

Stage-manager.11  {Walking  around.)  Today12  at  the  Spring 
Festival13  I  was  very  respectfully  summoned  by  the  group  of 
kings14  assembled  from  various  regions  as  vassals  at  the  lotus-feet 
of  His  Majesty  King  Harsha,  and  was  thus  addressed:  'We 
have  heard  by  a  series  of  rumors  that  our  lord,  His  Majesty  King 


5 


6 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Priyadarsika  nama  natika  krte  ’ty  asmabhih  srotraparamparaya 
srutam,  na  tu  prayogato  drsta.  tat  tasyai  Va  rajnah  sarva- 
janahrdayahladino  bahumanad  asmasu  ca  ’nugrahabuddhya 
yathavat  prayogena  tvaya  natayitavye  ’ti.  tad  yavan  nepa- 
thyaracanam  krtva  yathabhilasitam  sampadayami.  ( parito 
’valokya)  avarjitani  samajikamanamsl  ’ti  me  niscayah.  kutah, 


sri-Harso  nipunah  kavih  parisad  apy  esa  gunagrahinl 
loke  hari  ca  Vatsarajacaritam  natye  ca  daksa  vayam 
vastv  ekaikam  api  ’ha  vanchitaphalaprapteh  padam  kim 
punar 

madbhagyopacayad  ayam  samuditah  sarvo  gunanam  ganah 

[3] 

( nepathydbhimukham  avalokya)  aye  katham  prastavanabhyu- 

dyate  mayi  viditasmadabhiprayo  ’ngadhipater  Drdhavarmanah 

kancukino  bhumikam  krtva  ’smadbhrate  ’ta  eva  ’bhivartate. 

•  • 

tad  yavad  aham  apy  anantarabhumikam  sampadayami.  (iti 

niskrdntah) 


iti  prastavana 


[  Viskambhakah] 


( tatah  pravisati  Kancukl) 

Kane uk I.  (sokasramani  ndtayan  nihsvasya)  kastam  bhoh 

kastam. 

•  • 


rajno  vipad  bandhuviyogaduhkham 
desacyutir  durgamamargakhedah 
asvadyate  ’syah  katunisphalayah 
phalam  mayai  ’tac  cirajlvitayah  [4] 


ACT  ONE 


7 


Harsha,  has  composed  a  play15  called  Priyadarsika,  graced  by  the 
treatment  of  a  novel  subject16;  but  we  have  not  seen  it  produced. 
So  you  ought  to  have  it  acted  in  appropriate  style  out  of  high 
respect  for  the  King  himself,  who  gladdens17  the  hearts  of  all 
men,  and  also  with  the  idea  of  conferring  a  favor  on  us/  Ac¬ 
cordingly,  after  arranging  the  costumes,18  I  shall  proceed  to  do  as 
requested.  ( Looking  around.)  I  am  convinced  that  the  minds 
of  the  audience  are  favorably  inclined.  For, 

His  Majesty  Harsha  is  a  skilful  poet,  this  assemblage,  too,  is  appre¬ 
ciative  of  merit, 

The  story  of  Vatsaraja19  is  a  popular  subject,  and  we  are  expert  in 
acting. 

Any  one  of  these  facts  assures  the  attainment  of  the  desired  result, 
But  how  much  more  so  does  this  whole  set  of  excellences  when  com¬ 
bined  through  my  abundant  good  fortune  !20  [3] 

{Looking  toward  the  dressing-room.)  Why,  here  comes  my 
brother,  just  as  I  am  engaged  in  the  Induction21;  he  has  learned 
of  my  intention,  and  has  assumed  the  part  of  the  chamberlain  of 
Drdhavarman,22  king  of  the  Angas.23  So  I  shall  proceed  to  enact 
the  next  part.24  {Exit.) 

End  of  the  Induction 


[EXPLANATORY  SCENE  ]*» 

{Enter  the  Chamberlain  [Vinayavasu]  .) 

Chamberlain.26  ( Acting 27  as  if  sad  and  weary;  sighing.) 
Alas,  oh,  alas ! 

The  misfortune  of  my  king,  the  grief  of  separation  from  my  kinsmen, 
Exile  from  my  country,  the  fatigue  of  a  hard  journey — 

This  I  taste  as  the  fruit  of  a  long  life, 

Bitter  and  fruitless  !28  [4] 


8 


PRIYADARSIKA 


( sasokam  savismayam  ca)  tadrsasya  ’pi  nama  ’pratihatasakti- 
trayasya  Raghu-Dilipa-Nalatulyasya  devasya  Drdhavarmano 
matprarthyamana  ’py  anena  svaduhita  Vatsarajaya  datte  ’ti 
baddhanusayena  Vatsarajo  bandhanan  na  nivartata  iti  ca 
labdharandhrena  sahasa  ’gatya  Kalingahatakena  vipattir  Idrsi 
kriyata  iti  yatsatyam  upapannam  api  na  sraddadhe.  katham 
ekantanisthuram  Idrsam  ca  daivam  asmasu.  yena  sa  ’pi  raja- 
putri  yatha  katham  cid  enam  Vatsarajayo  ’paniya  svaminam 
anrnam  karisyami  ’ti  matva  maya  tadrsad  api  pralayakala- 
darunad  avaskandasambhramad  apavahya  devasya  Drdhavar¬ 
mano  mitrabhavanvitasyai  ’va  ’tavikasya  nrpater  Vindhyaketor 
grhe  sthapita  sat!  snanaya  na  ’tiduram  ity  Agastyatlrtham  gate 
mayi  ksanat  kair  api  nipatya  hate  Vindhyaketau  raksobhir  iva 
nirmanusikrte  dagdhe  sthane  na  jnayate  kasyam  avasthayam 
vartata  iti.  nipunam  ca  vicitam  etan  maya  sarvam  sthanam. 
na  ca  jnatam  kim  tair  eva  dasyubhir  nlta  ’tha  va  dagdhe  ’ti. 
tat  kim  karomi  mandabhagyah. 


(vicintya)  aye  evam  srutam  maya:  bandhanat  paribhrastah 
Pradyotatanayam  apahrtya  Vatsarajah  Kausambim  agata  iti. 
kim  tatrai  Va  gacchami.  ( nihsvasya  ’tmano  ’vastham  pasyan ) 
kim  iva  hi  rajaputrya  vina  tatra  gatva  kathayisyami.  aye 
kathitam  ca  ’dya  mama  Vindhyaketuna :  ma  bhaisih.  jivati 
tatrabhavan  maharajo  Drdhavarma  gadhapraharajarjarikrto 
baddhas  tisthati  ’ti.  tad  adhuna  svaminam  eva  gatva  pada- 
paricaryaya  jlvitasesam  atmanah  saphalayisyami.  ( parikramyo 
’ rdhvam  avalokya)  aho  atidarunata  saradatapasya,  yad  evam 
anekaduhkhasamtapitena  ’pi  maya  tlksno  Vagamyate. 


ghanabandhanamukto  ’yam  kanyagrahanat  param  tulam 
prapya 


ACT  ONE 


9 


( With  sadness  and  amazement.)  To  think  [that  it  could  have 
happened]  to  such  a  one29  as  King-  Drdhavarman,  the  possessor 
of  the  three  irresistible  powers,30  the  equal  of  Raghu,  Dillpa,  and 
Nala!31  [Yet]  the  accursed  Kaliiiga,32  harboring  resentment  be¬ 
cause  Drdhavarman  had  given  his  daughter33  to  Vatsaraja,  al¬ 
though  he  himself  had  sought  her  in  marriage,  and  finding  his 
opportunity  in  the  fact  that  Vatsaraja  was  still  in  captivity,  has 
suddenly  appeared  and  brought  about  this  disaster.  I  cannot 
believe  it,  though  it  has  actually  come  to  pass.  How  excessively 
cruel  is  such34  a  fate  for  us!  For  I  had  thought  to  free  my 
master  of  his  obligation  by  bringing  the  princess  somehow  or 
other  to  Vatsaraja;  accordingly  I  carried  her  out  of  the  turmoil 
even  of  that  onslaught  which  was  terrible  as  doomsday,  and  placed 
her  in  the  house  of  the  forest-king  Vindhyaketu,35  who  was  ami¬ 
cably  disposed  toward  my  lord  Drdhavarman.  When  I  had  gone 
to  the  Pool  of  Agastya36  to  bathe,  because  it  was  no  great  distance 
away,  in  a  moment  some  foes  made  an  attack  like  demons,  slew 
Vindhyaketu,  destroyed  the  people,  and  gave  the  place  to  the 
flames.  Now  I  do  not  know  in  what  plight  the  princess  is,  and, 
although  I  have  carefully  searched  the  entire  place,  I  have  not 
found  out  whether  she  was  taken  away  by  those  savages  or  was 
burned.  So  what  am  I,  unhappy  man,  to  do? 

( Reflecting .)  Ah!  I  have  heard  that  Vatsaraja  has  escaped 
from  captivity,  carrying  off  the  daughter  of  Pradyota,  and  has 
reached  Kausambi.37  Shall  I  go  thither?  ( Sighing  as  he  be¬ 
holds  his  plight.)  What  in  the  world38  am  I  to  say  if  I  go  there 
without  the  princess?  Ah,  Vindhyaketu  said  to  me  today :  ‘  Have 
no  fear.39  His  Majesty40  King  Drdhavarman  is  alive,  but  he  is 
disabled  by  severe  wounds41  and  is  a  prisoner.’  So  I  will  go  now 
to  my  master  and  will  devote  the  remainder  of  my  life  to  his 
service.  ( Walking  around,  glancing  upward.)  Oh,  how  pitiless 
is  the  consuming  heat  of  the  autumn  sun  !42  For  I  feel  its  pene¬ 
tration,  consumed  as  I  am  by  many  miseries. 

The  sun,43  set  free  from  <the  bondage  of  the  clouds>,44  has  reached 

«Libra  next  after  occupying  Virgo»,45 


10 


PRIYADARSIKA 


ravir  adhigatasvadhama  pratapati  khalu  Vatsaraja  iva  [5] 

(iti  niskrdntah) 


iti  viskambhakah 
•  • 


( tatah  pravisati  Raja  Vidiisakas  ca) 

Raja. 

bhrtyanam  avikarita  parigata  drsta  matir  mantrinam 
mitrany  apy  upalaksitani  viditah  pauranurago  ’dhikam 
nirvyudha  ranasahasavyasanita  striratnam  asaditam 
nirvyajad  iva  dharmatah  kim  iva  na  praptammaya  bandhanat 
[6] 


Vidusakah.  ( sarosam )  bho  vaassa,  kadham  tam  jewa 
dasle  uttam  bandhanahadaam  pasamsesi.  tam  danim  visu- 
marehi.  jam  tadha  navaggaho  via  gaavadi  khalakhalaamana- 
lohasinkhalabandhapadikkhalantacalano  sunnadukkara  [pisunl- 
antajhiaasamtavo  rosavasuttambhidaditthi  garuakaraphodida- 
dharanimaggo  raanisu  vi  aniddasuham  anubhudo  si. 


Raja.  Vasantaka,  durjanah  khalv  asi.  pasya. 

dr s tam  carakam  andhakaragahanam  no  tanmukhenduidjmtih 
plda  te  nigalasvanena  madhuras  tasya  giro  na  srutah 
krura  bandhanaraksino  ’dya  manasi  snigdhah  kataksa  na  te 


ACT  ONE 


II 


And  blazes  forth,  having  regained  «<his  proper  effulgences ; 

Just  as  Vatsaraja,  set  free  from  <close  confinement^  has  reached 
«the  highest  ascendancy  after  marrying  the  maiden», 

And  blazes  forth  [in  regal  splendor],  having  regained  <«his  own 
domains.  [5] 

{Exit.) 


End  of  the  Explanatory  Scene46 


{Enter  King  and  Jester.) 

King. 

I  am  convinced  of  the  constancy  of  my  servitors,  I  have  seen  the 
wisdom  of  my  councilors, 

I  have  also  proved  my  friends  and  know  full  well  the  devotion  of 
my  people; 

I  have  satisfied47  my  passion  for  the  dangers  of  battle,  I  have  won 
the  pearl  of  women — 

What,  indeed,  have  I  not  gained  by  my  captivity,  as  though  by  piety48 
unfeigned  ?49  [6] 

Jester.50  {Angrily.)  My  dear  fellow,51  why  do  you  praise 
that  whoreson,52  damnable  captivity?  Forget  it  now.  For,  like 
a  newly  taken  lordly  elephant,  whose  feet  are  tripped  by  the 
shackles  of  the  iron  chains  as  they  rattle  again  and  again,53  whose 
torment  of  heart  is  futile  and  hard  to  bear,54  whose  eye  is  in  a 
fixed  stare  through  the  force  of  his  rage,  whose  heavy  trunk  tears 
up  the  ground55 — thus  you  have  experienced56  [captivity]  without 
the  joy  of  sleep  even  at  night. 

King.  Vasantaka,57  you  certainly  are  a  rascal.  Look! 

You  saw  only  the  dungeon  dense  with  gloom,  and  not  the  radiance  of 
her  moonlike  face; 

You  were  tormented  by  the  clank  of  the  fetters,  and  did  not  hear  her 
honeyed  accents; 

You  still  have  in  mind  the  cruel  prison-guards,  and  not  her  loving 
glances58 ; 


12 


PRIYADARSIKA 


dosan  pasyasi  bandhanasya  na  punah  Pradyotaputrya  gunan 

m 

Vidusakah.  ( sagarvam )  bho,  jai  dava  bandhanam 
suhanibandhanam  bhodi,  ta  kisa  tumam  Didhavamma  baddho 
tti  Kalingaranno  uvari  rosam  bandhesi. 

Raja.  ( vihasya )  dhin  murkha,  na  khalu  sarvo  Vatsarajah, 
ya  evam  Vasavadattam  avapya  bandhanan  niryasyati.  tad 
astam  tavad  iyam  katha.  Vindhyaketor  upari  bahuny  ahani 
Vijayasenasya  presitasya,  na  ca  ’dya  ’pi  tatsakasat  kas  cid 
agatah.  tad  ahuyatam  tavad  amatyo  Rumanvan.  tena  saha 
kim  cid  alapitum  icchami. 

(pravisya) 

Pratiharl.  jedu  jedu  devo.  eso  kkhu  Vijaaseno  amacco 
Rumanno  vi  padiharabhumim  uvatthida. 

Raja,  tvaritam  pravesaya  tau. 

Pratiharl.  jam  devo  anavedi.  ( it*  niskrantd) 

( tatah  prams  at  i  Rumanvan  Vijayasenas  ca) 

Rumanvan.  ( vicintya ) 

tatksanam  api  niskrantah  krtadosa  iva  vina  ’pi  dosena 

pravisanti  sankamana  rajakulam  prayaso  bhrtyah  [8] 

( upasrtya )  jayatu  devah. 

Raja,  {asanam  nirdisya)  Rumanvan,  ita  asyatam. 

Rumanvan.  ( sasmitam  upavisya)  esa  khalu  jita-Vindhya- 
ketur  Vijayasenah  pranamati. 

(  Vijayasenas  tatha  karoti) 

\ 

Raja.  ( sddaram  parisvajya)  api  kusali  bhavan. 

Vijayasenah.  adya  svaminah  prasadat. 

Raja.  Vijayasena,  sthiyatam. 


ACT  ONE 


13 


You  see  the  defects  of  captivity,  but  not  the  merits  of  Pradyota’s 
daughter.59  [7] 

Jester.  ( With  importance.)  Sir,  if  bondage  is  a  bond  of 
bliss,  why  then  do  you  bind  your  wrath  upon  King  Kaliriga  for 
having  Drdhavarman  thrown  into  bondage?60 

King.  {Laughing.)  Out  on  you,  idiot!  Not  everyone  is  a 
Vatsaraja  to  escape  from  bondage  in  this  way  and  take  a  Vasava- 
datta  with  him.  So  let  the  subject  rest  now.  Many  days  have 
passed  since  Vijayasena  was  dispatched  against  Vindhyaketu,61 
and  as  yet  nobody  has  come  from  him.  So  let  the  minister  Ru¬ 
manvant62  be  summoned  at  once.  I  wish  to  talk  over  something 
with  him. 


( Enter  Portress.) 

Portress.63  Hail,  hail  to  Your  Majesty!  Here  are  Vijaya¬ 
sena  and  the  minister  Rumanvant  standing  at  the  threshold. 

King.  Have  them  enter  immediately. 

Portress.  As  Your  Majesty  commands.  (Exit.) 

(Enter  Rumanvant  and  Vijayasena.) 
Rumanvant.  (Reflecting.) 

Servitors  generally  enter  the  king’s  presence  with  misgiving. 

Like  culprits,  though  without  guilt,  even  when  they  have  been  gone 
but  an  instant.64  [8] 

(Approaching.)  Hail  to  Your  Majesty! 

King.  (Pointing  to  a  seat.)  Rumanvant,  be  seated  here. 
Rumanvant.  (With  a  smile,  sitting  down.)  Vijayasena,  the 
vanquisher  of  Vindhyaketu,  bows  here  before  you. 

(Vijayasena  bows.) 

King.  (Embracing  him  graciously.)  Is  Your  Honor  well? 
Vijayasena.  Now  [I  am],  through  my  Lord’s  favor. 

King.  Vijayasena,  be  seated.65 


14 


PRIYADARSIKA 


(  V  ij  ayasena  up  avis  at* ) 

Raja.  Vijayasena,  kathaya  Vindhyaketor  vrttantam. 

Vijayasenah.  deva,  kim  aparam  kathayami.  yadrsah 
svamini  kupite. 

Raja,  tatha  ’pi  vistaratah  srotum  icchami. 

Vijayasenah.  deva,  sruyatam.  ito  vayam  devapada- 
desad  yathadistena  karituragapadatisainyena  mahantam  apy 
adhvanam  divasatrayeno  ’llanghya  prabhatavelayam  atarkita 
eva  Vindhyaketor  upari  nipatitah  smah. 

Raja,  tatas  tatah. 

Vijayasenah.  tatah  so  ’py  asmadbalatumulakalakala- 
karnanena  pratibuddhah  kesarl  Va  Vindhyakandaran  nirgatya 
Vindhyaketur  anapeksitabalavahano  yathasamnihitakatipaya- 
sahayah  sahasa  svanamo  ’dghosayann  asman  abhiyoddhum 
pravrttah. 

Raja.  ( Rumanvantam  avalokya  sasmitam)  sobhitam  Vin- 
dhyaketuna.  tatas  tatah. 

Vijayasenah.  tato  ’smabhir  ayam  asav  iti  dvigunatara- 
baddhamatsarotsahair  mahata  vimardena  nihsesitasahaya  eka 
eva  vimarditadhikabalakrodhavego  darunataram  sampraharam 
akarot. 

Raja,  sadhu  Vindhyaketo,  sadhu  sadhu. 

Vijayasenah.  kim  va  varnyate.  deva,  samksepato 
vijnapayami. 

padatam  pattir  eva  prathamataram  urahpesamatrena  pistva 

duran  nltva  saraughair  harinakulam  iva  trastam  asviyam 
asah 

sarvatro  ’tsrstasarvapraharananivahas  turnam  utkhaya  khad- 
gam 

pascat  kartum  pravrttah  karikarakadallkananacchedalllam 

[9] 


ACT  ONE 


15 


(Vijayasena  sits  down.) 

King.  Vijayasena,  tell  the  tidings  about  Vindhyaketu. 
Vijayasena.  Your  Majesty,  what  more  can  I  tell?  He  has 
felt  my  Lord’s  anger.66 
King.  Even  so,  I  wish  to  hear  in  detail. 

Vijayasena.  Your  Majesty,  hear.  With  an  army  of  ele¬ 
phants,  cavalry,  and  infantry,  as  directed  by  Your  Majesty’s  com¬ 
mand,  we  traversed  the  road  from  here,  though  long,  in  three 
days.67  At  daybreak,  while  our  presence  was  wholly  unsuspected, 
we  fell  upon  Vindhyaketu. 

King.  Then,  then? 

Vijayasena.  Then,  aroused  by  hearing  the  tumultuous  din  of 
our  forces,  Vindhyaketu  himself  rushed  forth  like  a  lion  from  a 
cave  in  the  Vindhya  mountains,  and,  without  waiting  for  his 
forces  or  his  chariot,68  and  having  only  the  few  followers  that 
chanced  to  be  at  hand,  shouted  his  name69  and  proceeded  at  once 
to  engage  us. 

King.  ( Looking  at  Rumanvant,  with  a  smile.)  Well  done 
by  Vindhyaketu!  Then,  then? 

Vijayasena.  Then,  with  the  cry  ‘There  he  is!’  and  with 
efforts  redoubled  by  our  fury,  we  annihilated  his  followers  by  our 
mighty  onslaught.  But  Vindhyaketu,  all  alone  as  he  was,  impelled 
by  overpowering  anger  at  the  crushing  blow,  made  a  still  fiercer 
attack. 

King.  Bravo,  Vindhyaketu!  Bravo,  bravo! 

Vijayasena.  How  can  it  be  described?  Your  Majesty,  I  shall 
relate  it  briefly. 

Himself  on  foot,  he  first  of  all  pressed  down  the  foot-soldiers  by 
the  mere  pressure  of  his  breast; 

With  showers  of  arrows  he  scattered  the  panic-stricken  cavalry  afar 
in  every  direction  like  a  troop  of  gazelles. 

When  he  had  discharged  on  all  sides  his  whole  supply  of  missiles,  he 
quickly  unsheathed  his  sword, 

And  thereupon  proceeded  to  engage  in  the  sport  of  cutting  off  our 
elephants’  trunks  as  if  they  were  a  plantain  grove.70  [9] 


i6 


PRIYADARSIKA 


evam  balatritayam  akulam  eka  eva 

kurvan  krpanakiranacchuritamsakutah 

sastrapraharasatajarjaritoruvaksah 

srantas  cirad  vinihato  yudhi  Vindhyaketuh  [io] 

Raja.  Rumanvan,  satpurusocitam  margam  anugacchato 
yatsatyam  vridita  eva  vayam  Vindhyaketor  maranena. 

Rumanvan.  deva,  tvadvidhanam  eva  gunaikapaksapa- 
tinam  ripor  api  gunah  pritim  janayanti. 

Raja.  Vijayasena,  apy  asti  Vindhyaketor  apatyam  yatra 
’sya  paritosasya  phalam  darsayami. 

Vijayasena h.  deva,  idam  api  vijnapayami.  evam  sa- 
bandhuparivare  hate  Vindhyaketau  tarn  anusrtasu  sahadharma- 
carinisu  Vindhyasikharasritesu  janapadesu  sunyabhute  tat- 
sthane  ha  tata  ha  tate  ’ti  krtakrpanapralapa  Vindhyaketor 
vesmany  abhijatyanurupa  kanyaka  tadduhite  Jty  asmabhir  anlta 
dvari  tisthati.  tarn  prati  devah  pramanam. 


Raja.  Yasodhare,  gaccha  gaccha.  tvam  eva  Vasava- 
dattayah  samarpaya.  vaktavya  ca  devi :  bhaginibuddhya  tvayai 
’va  sarvada  drastavya.  gltanrttavadyadisu  visistakanyakoci- 
tam  sarvam  siksayitavya.  yada  varayogya  bhavisyati  tada 
mam  smaraye  ’ti. 

Pratlharl.  jam  devo  anavedi.  (iti  niskrdnta ) 

( nepathye  Vaitalikah) 

Hlamajjanamangalopakaranasnaniyasampadinah 
sarvantahpuravaravibhramavatnokasya  te  samprati 


ACT  ONE 


1 7 


While  singlehanded  he  was  thus  throwing  our  threefold  force71  into 

confusion, 

His  towering  shoulders  gashed  by  flashing  swords,72 
His  broad  chest73  torn  by  blows  of  a  hundred  weapons, 

The  exhausted  Vindhyaketu  was  at  last  struck  down  in  the  fight.74  [io] 

King.  Rumanvant,  we  are  in  truth  put  to  the  blush  by  the 
death  of  Vindhyaketu,  who  has  gone  the  way  befitting  brave 
men.75 

Rumanvant.  Your  Majesty,  to  persons  of  your  disposition, 
who  are  solely  partial  to  virtue,  even  an  enemy’s  virtues  cause 
delight. 

King.  Vijayasena,  is  there  any  child  of  Vindhyaketu  toward 
whom  I  may  show  a  token  of  my  appreciation  ? 

Vijayasena.  Your  Majesty,  I  shall  tell  about  this  also. 
When  Vindhyaketu  had  thus  been  killed  along  with  his  kinsmen 
and  retainers,  and  his  faithful  wives76  had  followed  him  [in 
death],  when  his  people  had  taken  refuge  on  the  summits  of  the 
Vindhya  Mountains,  and  the  place  had  been  deserted,  we  heard 
in  the  dwelling  of  Vindhyaketu  a  piteous  lament77  ‘  Oh,  father, 
father !  ’  uttered  by  a  maiden  whose  beauty  matched  her  noble 
birth.  Thinking  that  she  was  his  daughter,  we  brought  her 
hither,  and  she  is  standing  at  the  door.  It  is  for  Your  Majesty 
to  decide  regarding  her.78 

King.  Yasodhara,79  go  at  once  and  entrust  her  yourself  to 
Vasavadatta.  Say  to  the  Queen  that  she  is  to  regard  her  always 
in  the  light  of  a  sister,80  and  is  to  have  her  taught  everything  that 
a  noble  damsel  should  know  concerning  singing,  dancing,  instru¬ 
mental  music,  and  the  other  accomplishments.81  When  she  be¬ 
comes  of  marriageable  age  the  Queen  is  to  remind  me. 

Portress.  As  Your  Majesty  commands.  {Exit.) 

(A  Bard82  behind  the  scenes.) 

Now  the  entire  company  of  the  beauties83  in  thy  zenana 

Are  preparing  for  the  pleasure-bath  the  articles  requisite  for  its 

enjoyment; 


9 


i8 


PRIYADARSIKA 


ayasaskhaladamsukavyavahitacchayavadataih  stanair 
utksiptaparasatakumbhakalase  Va  ’lamkrta  snanabhuh  [n] 


Raja.  ( urdhvam  avalokya)  aye  katham  nabhomadhyam 
adhyaste  bhagavan  sahasradidhitih.  samprati  hi — 

abhaty  arkamsutapakvathad  iva  sapharodvartanair  dirghi- 
kambhas 

chattrabham  rirttalilasithilam  api  sikhl  barhabharam  tanoti 
chayacakram  tarunam  harinasisur  upaity  alavalambulubdhah 
sadyas  tyaktva  kapolam  visati  madhukarah  karnapalim 
gajasya  [12] 


Rumanvan,  uttistho  ’ttistha.  pravisya  ’bhyantaram  eva  krta- 
yathocitakriyah  satkrtya  Vijayasenam  Kalingocchittaye 
presayamah. 


(iti  niskrantah  sarve) 


iti  prathamo  ’nkah 


ACT  ONE 


19 


And  when  through  the  exertion  their  garments  slip  down,  their  breasts, 
gleaming  with  the  beauty  disclosed, 

Make  the  bathing-place  adorned  as  if  with  a  second  set  of  upraised 
golden  bowls.84  [11] 

King.  ( Looking  upward.)  Why,  the  Blessed  One  of  a  Thou¬ 
sand  Rays85  has  reached  mid-heaven  !86  For  now — 

The  water  of  the  pool  glitters  with  the  leaping  of  the  saphara- fish87 
as  if  boiling  with  the  heat  of  the  sun’s  rays; 

The  peacock  spreads  his  heavy  tail  fan-wise,88  though  it  is  drooping 
from  the  gay  dance; 

The  fawn,  eager  for  the  water  in  the  basins89  around  the  trees,  seeks 
the  circle  of  their  shade; 

The  bee  now  leaves  the  elephant’s  temples90  and  hides  itself  in  the 
flap  of  his  ear.91  [12]  \ 

Rumanvant,  up,  arise !  Let  us 92  go  within  and,  after  duly  at¬ 
tending  to  our  duties,  entertain  Vijayasena  and  dispatch  him  to 
destroy  Kalinga.93 


{Exeunt  omnes.) 


End  of  the  First  Act 


DVITIYO  *NKAH 

(tat ah  pravisati  Vidusakah) 

Vidusakah.  nam  bhanido  mhi  Indivariae :  jadha,  aj ja, 
uvavasaniamatthida  devi  Vasavadatta  sotthivaananimittam 

•  t  •  •  •  • 

saddavedi  tti.  ta  java  dharagharujjanadigghiae  nhaia  devi- 

pasam  gadua  kukkudavadam  karissam.  annadha  kadham 

amhanam  sarisa  bamhana  raaiile  padiggaham  karenti.  (nepa- 

thyahhimukham  avalokya)  kadham  eso  piavaasso  ajja  devie 

virahukkanthavinodananimittam  dharagharujjanam  jewa  pat- 

thido.  ta  java  vaassena  saha  jjewa  gadua  jadhodidam  anu- 

citthissam. 

•  •  • 


(tatah  pravisati  sotkantho  Raja) 

Raja. 

ksamam  mangalamatramandanabhrtam  mandodyamalapinlm 
apanducchavina  mukhena  vijitapratastanendudyutim 
sotkantham  niyamopavasavidhina  ceto  mamo  ’tkanthate 
tam  drastum  prathamanuragajanitavastham  iva  ’dya  priyam 
[i] 


Vidusakah.  (upasrtya)  sotthi  bhavado.  vaddhadu 
bhavam. 

Raja.  ( vilokya )  Vasantaka,  kasmat  prahrsta  iva  laksyase. 

Vidusakah.  accadi  kkhu  devi  bamhanam. 

•  •  •  • 

Raja,  yady  evam  tatah  kim. 

Vidusakah.  (sagarvam)  bho,  idiso  kkhu bamhano,  jo  ca- 


20 


ACT  II 


(Enter  Jester.) 

Jester.  Now  I’ve  been  told  by  Indlvarika:  ‘Worthy  sir,1 
Queen  Vasavadatta  is  engaged  in  the  observance  of  a  fast  and 
summons  you  for  the  svastivacana  rite.’2  So,  after  bathing  in  the 
pool  of  the  garden  of  the  fountain-house,3  I  shall  go  into  the 
Queen’s  presence  and  make  a  noise  like  a  cock.4  Otherwise  how 
are  Brahmans  like  us  to  get  donations  at  court?  (Looking  to¬ 
ward  the  dressing-room.)  Why,  here  is  my  dear  friend  now, 
just  on  his  way  to  the  garden  of  the  fountain-house  in  order  to 
dispel  the  lovesickness  caused  by  [the  Queen’s]  absence.  So  I’ll 
go  along  with  my  friend  and  do  as  I  said. 

(Enter  King,  with  a  lovesick  air.) 

King. 

Emaciated  is  she,  wearing  only  the  auspicious  ornaments,5  speaking 
slowly  and  with  effort, 

Outvying  with  the  pale6  hue  of  her  countenance  the  light  of  the  moon 
at  dawn,7 

Full  of  longing  as  she  observes  the  fast  she  has  vowed. — My  heart 
longs 

This  day  to  see  my  beloved,8  who  appears  in  a  state  like  that  pro¬ 
duced  by  first  love.9  [i] 

Jester.  (Approaching.)  Hail  to  Your  Honor!  May  you 
prosper ! 

King.  (Looking  around.)  Vasantaka,  why  do  you  look  so 
happy  ? 

Jester.  Why,  the  Queen  is  doing  honor  to  a  Brahman. 

King.  If  so,  what  of  it? 

Jester.  (With  importance.)  O  sir,  such  a  Brahman!  For 
I,  indeed,  shall  be  the  first  to  receive  from  the  Queen’s  hand  the 


22 


PRIYADARSIKA 


duvvedapancavedachatthavedabamhanasahassapajjaule  raaiile 
padhamam  aham  jevva  devisaasado  sotthivaanam  lahemi. 

Raja.  ( vihasya )  vedasamkhyayai  ’va  ’veditam  brahman- 
yam.  tad  agaccha  mahabrahmana.  dharagrhodyanam  eva 
gacchavah. 

Vidusakah.  jam  bhavam  anavedi. 

Raja,  gaccha  ’gratah. 

Vidusakah.  bho,  ehi,  gacchamha.  ( parikramyd  ’valokya 
ca )  vaassa,  pekkha  pekkha  aviradapadantavivihakusumasuuma- 
rasiladalucchangassa  parimalanillnamahuarabharabhaggabau- 
lamaladiladajalaassa  kamalagandhagahanuddamamarudapajja- 
vabuddhabandhuabandhanassa  aviralatamalatarupihidatavap- 
paasassa  assa  dharagharujjanassa  sassiriadam. 


Raja,  vayasya,  sadhv  abhihitam.  atra  hi — 

vrntaih  ksudrapravalasthagitam  iva  talam  bhati  sephalika- 
nam 

gandhah  saptacchadanam  sapadi  gajamadamodamoham 
karoti 

ete  co  ’nmdrapadmacyutabahalarajahpuhjapihgafigaraga 
gayanty  avyaktavacah  kim  api  madhuliho  varunipanamattah 
[2] 

Vidusakah.  bho  vaassa,  edam  pi  dava  pekkha  pekkha, 
jo  eso  aviralapadantakusumaniaro  ajja  vi  pattantaragalanta- 
varisavasanasalilabindu  via  lakkhladi  sattavannapaavo. 

Raja,  vayasya,  samyag  utpreksitam.  bahv  eva  sadrsam 
jaladasamayasya.  tatha  hi — 

bibhrana  mrdutam  sirisakusumasriharibhih  sadvalaih 
•  •  •  •  •  • 

sadyah  kalpitakuttima  marakataksodair  iva  ksalitaih 


ACT  TWO 


23 


svastivacana  offering  in  the  palace,  though  it  is  thronged  with 
thousands  of  Brahmans  who  know  four  Vedas,  five  Vedas,  six 
Vedas  !10 

King.  {Laughing.)  The  quality  of  a  Brahman  is  known  by 
the  number  of  his  Vedas!  So  come  along,  great  Brahman.  Let 
us  go  to  the  garden  of  the  fountain-house. 

Jester.  As  Your  Honor  commands. 

King.  You  go  first.11 

Jester.  Come,  sir,  let  us  go.  {Walking  about 12  and  look¬ 
ing.)  Dear  fellow,  look,  look  at  the  loveliness  of  this  garden  of 
the  fountain-house,  where  the  surface  of  the  stone  slab13  is  made 
soft  by  the  various  flowers  that  ceaselessly  fall  upon  it,  where 
the  buds  of  the  bakula  tree  and  of  the  jasmine  creeper  are  broken 
down  by  the  weight  of  the  bees  enveloped  in  the  fragrance,  where 
the  stems  of  the  bandhuka  flowers  are  stirred  by  the  wanton 
breeze  charged  with  the  perfume  of  the  lotus,  and  where  the  sun¬ 
light  and  the  heat  are  shut  out  by  the  dense  tamala  trees.14 
King.  Well  expressed,  dear  fellow;  for  here 

The  ground  shines  with  the  stems  of  the  sephalika  flowers16  as  if 
it  were  covered  with  fragments  of  coral; 

The  perfume  of  the  saptacchadas 16  conveys  momentarily  the  impres¬ 
sion  of  the  sweet  odor  of  the  elephant’s  ichor; 

Here,  too,  the  bees,  their  bodies  tawny-colored  with  the  abundant 
mass  of  pollen  that  is  shaken  from  the  full-blown  lotuses, 

Hum  a  kind  of  confused  song,17  drunk  with  nectarous  drafts.18  [2] 

Jester.  My  dear  fellow,  look,  look  at  this,  too — how  this 
saptaparna  tree,19  with  its  mass  of  flowers  falling  constantly, 
seems  now  as  if  it  had  drops  of  water  trickling  between  its  leaves 
at  the  close  of  the  rainy  season. 

King.  A  happy  simile,  dear  fellow.  It  is  very  like  the  rainy 
season ;  for, 

The  earth  here,  which  recently  was  clothed  in  softness  through  its 
grassplots  surpassing  the  loveliness  of  the  sirisa  flowers,20 
And  which  had  a  pavement  fashioned,  as  it  were,  of  pure  emerald-dust, 


24 


PRIYADARSIKA 


esa  samprati  bandhanad  vigalitair  bandhukapuspotkarair 
adya  ’pi  ksitir  indragopakasatais  channe  Va  samlaksyate  [3] 


(tat ah  praznsati  Ceti) 

Ceti.  anatta  mhi  devie  Vasavadattae :  hanje  Indivarie,  ajja 

mae  Agatthimahesino  aggho  dadawo.  ta  gaccha  tumam. 

sehaliakusumamalam  lahu  genhia  aaccha.  esa  vi  Arannia 

dharagharujjanadigghiae  java  jjewa  viasidaim  kamalaim  na 

atthahilasina  sujjena  maulavlanti  tava  jjewa  lahuam  avacinia 

aacchadu  tti.  esa  tavassinl  tam  digghiam  na  janadi.  ta  genhia 

tam  gamissam.  ( nepathydbhimukham  avalokya)  ido  ido 

Arannie  ehi. 

•  • 


(tat  ah  pravisaty  Ar any  aka) 

Aranyaka.  (sabaspodvegam  dtmagatam)  tadha  nama 
tarise  vamse  uppannae  annajanam  anavia  thidae  sampadam 
parassa  mae  anatti  kadawa  tti  natthi  kkhu  dukkaram  dewassa. 
adha  va  maha  jjewa  eso  doso,  jena  janantie  vi  na  vavadido 
appa.  ta  kim  sampadam  karissam.  adha  va  dukkaram  danim 
mae  cintidam.  varam  jewa  edam  pi.  na  una  attano  mahag- 
gham  vamsam  paasaantle  mae  lahuikido  appa.  ta  ka  gadi. 
jadhabhanidam  anucitthissam. 

Ceti.  ido  ehi  Arannie. 

•  •  • 

Aranyaka.  iam  aacchami.  (sramam  ndtayantl)  hanje, 
dure  kim  ajja  vi  digghia. 

Ceti.  esa  sehaliagummantarida.  ta  ehi,  odaramha. 


( avataranam  ndtayatah  ) 

Raja,  vayasya,  kim  anyad  iva  cintayasi.  nanu  bravimi : 
bahv  eva  sadrsam  jaladasamayasya. 


ACT  TWO 


25 


Seems  now  at  this  moment  as  if  covered  with  hundreds  of  cochineal- 

insects,21 

Because  of  the  quantities  of  bandhiika  flowers22  that  have  dropped 

from  their  stems.23  [3] 

( Enter  a  Maidservant  [Indivarika].) 

Maidservant.  Queen  Vasavadatta  has  commanded  me :  ‘  In¬ 
divarika,  my  girl,24  I  have  to  offer  an  oblation25  today  to  the  great 
sage  Agastya.26  So  do  you  go  and  bring  back  quickly  a  garland 
of  sephdlikd  flowers ;  and  let  Aranyaka27  here  quickly  gather  and 
bring  back  from  the  pool  of  the  garden  of  the  fountain-house  the 
full-blown  lotuses  before  they  are  closed  by  the  sun,  eager  to  set/ 
That  poor  girl  does  not  know  the  pool,  so  I  shall  get  her  and  go 
there.  ( Looking  toward  the  dressing-room.)  This  way,  this 
way,  Aranyaka,  come! 

( Enter  Aranyaka.) 

Aranyaka.  ( With  tears  and  agitation ;  to  herself.)  To  think 
that  I,  who  am  sprung  from  such  a  family,  who  have  been  used28 
to  commanding  other  people,  must  now  do  the  command  of  an¬ 
other  !  This  is  not  the  hardship  of  fate ;  it  is  rather  my  own 
fault.  For,  though  aware  of  it,  I  did  not  kill  myself.  So  what 
shall  I  do  now?  But  it  is  a  hard  thing  that  I  have  thought  of. 
Better  so,  than  that29  I  should  lower  myself  by  revealing  my  il¬ 
lustrious  race.  Then  what  way  out  is  there?  I  shall  carry  out 
what  I  said.30 

Maidservant.  Come,  Aranyaka,  this  way ! 

Aranyaka.  Here  I  come.  ( Acting  as  if  weary.)  My  dear, 
is  the  pool  still  a  long  way  off? 

Maidservant.  Here  it  is,  hidden  by  the  clump  of  sephdlikds. 
So  come,  let  us  walk  down. 

( They  act  as  if  walking  down.) 

King.  Dear  fellow,  why  do  you  seem  to  be  thinking  of  some¬ 
thing  else  ?  Did  I  not  say31 :  ‘  It  is  very  like  the  rainy  season  ’  ? 


26 


PRIYADARSIKA 


(iti  ‘  bib  hr  and  mrdutam’  ityadi  punah  pathati) 

Vidusakah.  ( sakrodham )  bho,  tumam  dava  edam 

annam  ca  pekkhanto  ukkanthanibbharam  vinodesi  attanaam. 

•  ••x  •••  ••  •• 

mama  una  bamhanassa  sotthivaanavela  adikkamadi.  ta  dava 
•  •  • 

aham  tuvaridam  digghiae  nhaia  devie  saasam  gamissam. 

Raja,  nanu  murkha,  param  gata  eva  vayam  dirghikayah. 
evam  anekendriyasukhatisayam  anubhavann  api  no  ’palaksyasi. 
pasya. 

srotram  hamsasvano  'yam  sukhayati  dayitanupurahradakari 
drstipritim  vidhatte  tatataruvivaralaksita  saudhapali 
gandhena  ’mbhoruhanam  parimalapatuna  jayate  ghranasau- 
khyam 

gatranam  hladam  ete  vidadhati  maruto  varisamparkasitah 
t4l 


tad  ehi.  dirghikatatam  upasarpavah.  ( parikramyd  J valokya  ca) 
vayasya,  pasya  pasya. 

udyanadevatayah  sphutapankajakantiharini  svaccha 

dr  stir  iva  dlrghike  ’yam  ramayati  mam  darsanenai  ’va  [5] 


Vidusakah.  ( sakautukam )  bho  vaassa,  pekkha  pekkha. 
ka  esa  kusumaparimalasuandhavenlmahuaravali  viddumalada- 
runahatthapallava  ujjalantatanukomalabahulada  saccam  pac- 
cakkhacari  via  ujjanaidevada  itthia  dlsadi. 


Raja.  ( sakautukam  vilokya)  vayasya,  niratisayasvarupa- 
sobhajanitabahuvikalpe  ’yam.  yatsatyam  aham  api  na  ’vagac- 
chami.  pa^ya. 

Patalad  bhuvanavalokanapara  kim  Nagakanyo  ’tthita 


ACT  TWO 


27 


(He  recites  again  the  stanza  beginning  ‘  The  earth  here,  which 
recently  was  clothed  in  softness.’) 

Jester.  ( Peevishly .)  Sir,  you  divert  yourself  when  full  of 
longing  by  looking  at  this  or  ‘  something  else  ’ ;  but  for  me,  the 
Brahman,  the  time  of  the  svastivacana  offering  is  going  by.  So 
now  I’ll  quickly  bathe  in  the  pool  and  go  into  the  presence  of  the 
Queen. 

King.  Why,  you  fool,  we  have  already  gone  beyond  the  pool. 
Although  you  are  thus  receiving  through  your  several  senses  an 
excess  of  pleasure,  you  do  not  perceive  it.  Look ! 

The  note  of  the  swan32  here,  resembling  the  tinkling  of  the  loved 
one’s  anklets,  delights  the  ear; 

The  outline  of  the  palace,  descried  through  the  trees  on  the  bank, 
gives  pleasure  to  the  eye; 

The  sense  of  smell  is  charmed  by  the  perfume  of  the  lotuses  with 
their  penetrating  fragrance33 ; 

The  breezes,  cooled  by  contact  with  the  waters,  diffuse  delight 
through  the  limbs.34  [4] 

So  come,  let  us  approach  the  bank  of  the  pool.  (Walking  around 
and  looking.)  Friend,  look,  look! 

This  < crystal >  pool,  « which  is  captivating  through  the  charm  of  its 
full-blown  lotuses»,  enchants  me  by  its  mere  sight, 

As  if  it  were  the  <lustrous>  eye  of  the  garden-nymph,  «which  robs 
the  full-blown  lotuses  of  their  charm».35  [5] 

Jester.  (With  curiosity.)  My  dear  fellow,  look,  look!  Who 
is  this  damsel  around  whose  tresses,  fragrant  with  the  perfume 
of  the  flowers,  the  bees  cluster,36  and  whose  bud-like  hands  are 
roseate  as  branches  of  coral,  while  her  twining  arms37  are  radiant, 
slender,  and  delicate  ?  She  seems  in  truth  like  the  garden-nymph 
moving  before  our  eyes. 

King.  (Looking  with  curiosity.)  Dear  fellow,  her  matchless 
beauty  of  form  gives  rise  to  many  surmises.  I  myself  do  not 
know  for  a  certainty.  Look! 

Is  she  a  Naga-maiden,38  arisen  from  Patala  in  order  to  view  the 
earth  ? 


28 


PRIYADARSIKA 


mithya  tat  khalu  drstam  eva  hi  maya  tasmin  kuto  ’stl  ’drsl 
murta  syad  iha  kaumudi  na  ghatate  tasya  diva  darsanam 
ke  ’yam  hastatalasthitena  kamalena  ’lokyate  Srir  iva  [6] 


Vidusakah.  ( nirupya )  esa  khu  devie  pariaria  Indivaria. 
ta  gummantarida  bhavia  pekkhamha. 

( ubhau  tathd  kurutah) 

Ceti.  ( kamaUmpattragrahanam  ndtayanti)  Arannie,  avaina 
tumam  padumaim.  aham  pi  edassim  nalinipatte  sehaliakusu- 
maim  avainia  devisaasam  gamissam. 

Raja,  vayasya,  samlapa  iva  vartate.  tad  avahitah  srnu- 
mah.  kada  cid  ita  eva  vyaktlbhavisyati. 


( Ceti  gamanam  natayati) 

Aranyaka.  hala  Indivarie,  na  sakkunomi  tue  vina  ettha 
asidum. 

Ceti.  ( vihasya )  jadisam  ajja  mae  devie  mantidam  sudam 
tarisena  ciram  jewa  mae  vina  tue  asidawam. 

Aranyaka.  ( savisadam )  kim  devie  mantidam. 

Ceti.  edam :  tada  esa  aham  maharaena  bhanida  jadha  jada 
esa  Viiijhakeduduhida  varajogga  bhavissadi  tada  aham  suma- 
ravidavvo  tti.  ta  sampadam  maharaam  sumaravemi  jena  se 
varacintapajjaulo  bhavissadi. 

Raja.  ( saharsam )  iyam  sa  Vindhyaketor  duhita.  ( sdnu - 
tap  am)  ciram  musitah  smo  vayam.  vayasya,  nirdosadarsana 
kanyaka  khalv  iyam.  visrabdham  idanim  pasyamah. 

Aranyaka.  ( sarosam  karnau  pidhaya)  ta  gaccha  tumam. 
na  tue  asambaddhappalavinie  paoanam. 

(Cety  apasrtya  puspdvacayam  natayati) 

Raja,  aho  sutaram  prakatikrtam  abhijatyam  dhirataya. 
vayasya,  dhanyah  khalv  asau  ya  etadangasparsasukhabhajanam 
bhavisyati. 


ACT  TWO 


29 


Vain  thought!  For  that  realm  I  myself  have  seen,39  and  in  it  there 
is  not  her  like.40 

Could  moonlight  be  incarnate  here?  But  the  sight  of  that  is  not 
possible  by  day. 

Who  then  is  she  that  appears  like  Sri41  with  a  lotus  in  her  hand  ?42  [6] 

Jester.  ( Observing  closely.)  This  one  certainly  is  the 
Queen’s  attendant,  Indlvarika.  So  let  us  hide  behind  the  clump 
of  bushes  and  look. 

( Both  do  so.) 

Maidservant.  ( Acting  as  if  picking  a  lotus  leaf.43)  Aran¬ 
yaka,  do  you  pick  the  lotuses,  and  I’ll  pick  the  sephdlikd  flowers 
in  this  lotus  leaf  and  go  into  the  presence  of  the  Queen. 

King.  Dear  fellow,  a  conversation  seems  to  be  going  on.  So 
let  us44  listen  attentively.  Perhaps  in  this  way  the  situation  will 
be  cleared  up. 

(Maidservant  acts  as  if  going  away.) 

Aranyaka.  Dear45  Indlvarika,  I  can’t  stay  here  without  you. 
Maidservant.  {Laughing.)  According  to  what  I  heard  the 
Queen  say  today,  you’ll  have  to  stay  a  long  time  without  me. 
Aranyaka.  ( With  dismay.)  What  did  the  Queen  say? 
Maidservant.  This :  ‘  I  was  told  at  that  time  by  the  King  that 
he  was  to  be  reminded  when  the  daughter  of  Vindhyaketu  be¬ 
came  of  marriageable  age.46  So  I  shall  remind  the  King  at  once, 
in  order  that  he  may  take  thought  about  a  husband  for  her.’ 

King.  {Joyfully.)  This  is  the  daughter  of  Vindhyaketu! 
{Regretfully.)  We  have  long  been  robbed  of  her.  Dear  fellow, 
it  is  not  wrong,  forsooth,  to  look  at  this  maiden.47  Let  us  now 
look  without  hesitation. 

« 

Aranyaka.  {Angrily,  stopping  her  ears.)  Now  you  go  away! 
I’ve  no  use  for  you  when  you  talk  nonsense.48 

(Maidservant,  going  aside,  acts  as  if  picking  flowers.) 

King.  Ah,  her  noble  birth  is  clearly  revealed  by  her  dignified 
bearing!  Dear  fellow,  happy  indeed  will  be  he  who  shall  enjoy 
the  bliss  of  embracing  her  form. 


30 


PRIYADARSIKA 


(Ar any  aka  kamalavacayam  natayati ) 

V  i  d  u  s  a  k  a  h.  bho  vaassa,  pekkha  pekkha.  acchariam 

acchariam.  esa  salilacalantakarapallavappahavitthidena  ohasi- 

dasoham  karedi  kamalavanam  avacinanti. 

•  •  •  • 

Raja,  vayasya,  satyam  evai  ’tat.  pasya. 

acchinnamrtabinduvrstisadrsim  pritim  dadatya  drsa 
yataya  vigalatpayodharapatad  drastavyatam  kam  api 
asyas  candramasas  tanor  iva  karasparsaspadatvam  gata 
nai  ’te  yan  mukullbhavanti  sahasa  padmas  tad  eva  ’dbhutam 

[7] 


Aranyaka.  ( bhramarasambadham  ndtayantl)  haddhl 
haddhl.  ede  kkhu  avare  pariccaia  kamalinim  nlluppalavanaim 
samapadanta  niunadaram  badhanta  aasaanti  mam  dutthama- 
huara.  ( uttanyena  mu k ham  pidhaya  sabhayam)  hala  Indivarie, 
parittaehi  mam  parittaehi  mam.  ede  dutthamahuara  paribha- 
vissanti. 

Vidusakah.  bho  vaassa,  punna  de  manoradha.  java 
jjevva  gabbhadasle  suda  na  aacchadi  tava  jjevva  tumam  pi 
tunhikko  bhavia  uvasappa.  esa  vi  salilasaddasunidena  pada- 
samcarena  Indlvaria  aacchadi  tti  jania  tumam  jevva  olambis- 
sadi. 

Raja,  sadhu  vayasya  sadhu.  kalanurupam  upadistam. 

(ity  Aranyakdsamipam  upasarpati ) 

Aranyaka.  ( padasabdakarnanam  ndtayantl )  Indivarie,  lahu 
uvasappa  lahu  uvasappa.  aulikida  mhi  dutthamahuarehim. 
( Rdjanam  avalambate) 

( Raja  kanthe  grlindti.  Aranyako  }ttarlyam  mukhad 
apanlya  Rdjanam  apasyantl  bhramardvalokanam 

natayati) 

Raja.  ( svottarlyena  bhramardn  nivarayan) 


ACT  TWO 


31 


(Aranyaka  acts  as  if  picking  lotuses.) 

Jester.  My  dear  fellow,  look,  look!  Marvelous,  marvelous! 
As  she  picks  the  bunch  of  lotuses  she  puts  their  beauty  to  shame 
by  the  luster  diffused  by  her  bud-like  hand  as  it  moves  through  the 
water. 

King.  Dear  fellow,  that  is  quite  true.  Look! 

By  her  glance  [like  the  moon]  she  gives  pleasure49  which  is  as 
a  continued  shower  of  drops  of  nectar; 

She  becomes  <exquisitely  lovely  when  the  robe  slips  from  her  bosom> 
[even  as  the  moon  becomes]  < clearly  revealed  when  the  veil  of 
clouds  drifts  away > 50 ; 

It  is  a  wonder  indeed  that  the  lotuses  do  not  close  up  at  once 
After  receiving  the  touch  of  the  <hand>  of  her  who  is  like  the  moon 
itself,51  [as  they  do]  by  its  <rays>.52  [7] 

Aranyaka.  ( Acting  as  if  tormented  by  bees.53)  Oh,  oh! 
These  horrid  bees  again,54  leaving  the  lotus  [and]  lighting  on  the 
clusters  of  blue  water-lilies,55  bother  and  torment  me  insistently. 
( Covering  her  face  with  her  mantle;  in  [a  tone  of]  fear.)  Dear 
Indlvarika,  save  me,  save  me!  These  horrid  bees  will  get  the 
best  of  me ! 

Jester.  My  dear  fellow,  your  wishes  are  fulfilled.  Before 
that  slave-born  girl56  can  come,  do  you  approach  in  silence,  and 
she’ll  think  it’s  Indlvarika  coming,  when  she  hears  the  sound  of 
footsteps  in  the  water,  and  it  will  be  you  that  she’ll  cling  to. 

King.  Bravo,  dear  fellow,  bravo!  Your  suggestion  comes  at 
the  right  moment.  (He  approaches  Aranyaka.) 

Aranyaka.  (Acting  as  if  hearing  the  sound  of  footsteps.) 
Indlvarika,  come  quickly,  come  quickly!  I  am  distracted  by 
these  horrid  bees.  (She  clings  to  the  King.) 

(The  King  throws  his  arm  around  her  neck.  Aranyaka, 
drawing  her  mantle  back  from  her  face,  without  seeing  the 
King,  acts  as  if  looking  at  the  bees.) 

King.  (Keeping  off  the  bees  with  his  own  mantle.) 


32 


PRIYADARSIKA 


ayi  visrja  visadam  bhiru  bhrngas  tavai  ’te 
parimalarasalubdha  vaktrapadme  patanti 
vikirasi  yadi  bhuyas  trasalolayataksl 
kuvalayavanalaksmim  tat  kutas  tvam  tyajanti  [8] 


Aranyaka.  ( Rdjanam  drstvd  sadhvasam  natayantl) 
kadham  na  esa  Indlvaria.  ( sabhayam  Rdjanam  tyaktvd  ’pasa- 
rantl)  Indivarie,  lahu  aaccha  lahu  aaccha.  parittaehi  mam. 

Vidusakah.  bhodi,  saalapudhavlparittanasamatthena 
Vaccharaena  parittaantl  cedim  Indivariam  akkandesi. 

( Raja  f  ayi  visrja ’  ityadi  punah  pathati) 


Aranyaka.  ( Rdjanam  avalokya  sasprham  salajjam  cd 
}tmaqatam)  aam  khu  so  maharao  jassa  aham  tadena  dinna. 
thane  kkhu  tadassa  pakkhavado.  ( akulatdm  natayati ) 

C  e  1 1.  aasida  khu  Arannia  dutthamahuarehim.  ta  java 
uvasappia  samassasemi.  Arannie,  ma  bhaahi.  esa  uvaada 
mhi. 

Vidusakah.  bho,  osara  osara.  esa  khu  Indlvaria  aada. 
ta  edam  vuttantam  pekkhia  devle  nivedaissadi.  ( angulyd 
nirdisya)  ta  imam  jevva  kadallgharam  pavisia  muhuttam 

citthamha. 

•  • 

( ubhau  tathd  kurutah) 

Ceti.  ( upasrtya  kapolau  sprsanti)  hanje  Arannie,  kamala- 
sarisassa  tuha  vaanassa  aam  doso  jam  mahuara  ewam  ava- 
rajjhanti.  ( haste  grhitva )  ta  ehi,  gacchamha.  parinado 
divaso. 

( gamanam  ndtayatah ) 

Aranyaka.  ( kadallgrhdbhimukham  avalokya)  hanje  Indi¬ 
varie,  adisisiradae  salilassa  urutthambho  via  samuppanno.  ta 
saniam  saniam  gacchamha. 

C  e  1 1.  tadha. 


ACT  TWO 


33 


Ah,  timid  one,  dismiss  thy  fear !  These  bees 

Light  upon  thy  lotus-face,  lured  by  the  fragrance  of  its  perfume. 
If,  with  thine  eyes  dilated57  and  trembling  through  fear,  thou  still 
wilt  shed 

Loveliness  like  that  of  a  cluster  of  water-lilies,  how  then  will  they 
leave  thee?58  [8] 

Aranyaka.  ( Seeing  the  King,  acts  as  if  frightened.)  Why, 
this  is  not  Indivarika!  ( Leaving  the  King  in  alarm  and  moving 
away.)  Indivarika,  come  quickly,  come  quickly!  Defend  me! 

Jester.  Lady,  though  defended  by  Vatsaraja,  who  is  able  to 
defend  the  whole  world,  you  call  for  Indivarika,  a  servant ! 

{The  King  recites  again  the  stanza  beginning 
‘Ah,  timid  one,  dismiss/) 

Aranyaka.  {Looking  at  the  King  with  longing  and  with 
modesty ;  aside.)  So  this  is  the  great  king  to  whom  I  was  given 
by  my  father !  My  father’s  preference  was  certainly  appropriate. 
{Acts  as  if  confused.) 

Maidservant.  Aranyaka  is  tormented  by  the  horrid  bees,  so 
I’ll  go  up  and  comfort  her.  Aranyaka,  don’t  be  afraid ;  here  I 
come ! 

Jester.  Come  away,  sir,  come  away !  Here  comes  Indivarika. 
If  she  sees  what’s  going  on,59  she’ll  tell  the  Queen.  {Pointing 
with  his  finger.)  So  let’s  go  into  this  plantain  bower  and  wait  a 
moment. 

{Both  do  so.) 

Maidservant.  {Approaching  and  patting  her  cheeks.)  Dear 
Aranyaka,  it’s  the  fault  of  your  lotus-like  face  that  the  bees  are 
so  bothersome.  {Taking  her  by  the  hand.)  So  come,  let’s  go; 
the  day  is  at  its  close.60 

{They  act  as  if  going.) 

Aranyaka.  {Looking  toward  the  plantain-bower.)  Dear 
Indivarika,  a  sort  of  numbness  has  come  over  my  limbs  owing  to 
the  excessive  coldness  of  the  water.61  So  let’s  go  very  slowly. 
Maidservant.  Certainly. 


io 


34 


PRIYADARSIKA 


{iti  niskrante) 

Vidusakah.  bho,  ehi,  nikkamamha.  tam  genhia  esa 
dasle  suda  Indlvaria  gada. 

( tatha  kurutah) 

Raja.  ( nihsvasya )  katham  gata.  sakhe  Vasantaka,  na 
khalv  avighnam  abhilasitam  adhanyaih  prapyate.  ( vilokya ) 
sakhe,  pasya  pasya. 

abadidhamukham  apl  ’dam  kantakitam  kamalakananam 
tasyah 

sukumarapanipallavasamsparsasukham  kathayatl  ’va  [9] 

( nihsvasya )  sakhe,  ka  idanirn  upayah  punas  tam  drastum. 

Vidusakah.  bho,  tumam  jevva  puttaliam  bhaiijia  idanirn 
rodasi.  na  me  mukkhassa  bamhanassa  vaanam  karesi. 

Raja,  kim  maya  na  krtam. 

Vidusakah.  tam  danim  visumaridam  jam  tunhikko 
bhavia  uvasappa  tti  mae  bhanidam.  adisamkade  bhavam 
pavisia  aliapandiccaduvviaddhadae  ai  visija  visadam  ti  edehim 
annehim  ca  kaduavaanehim  nibbhacchia  sampaidam  kim  rodasi. 
puno  vi  uvaam  pucchasi. 

Raja,  katham  samasvasanam  api  nirbhartsitam  iti  bhani- 
tam  murkhena. 

Vidusakah.  janidam  jewa  ko  ettha  mukkho  tti.  ta  kim 
edina.  atthamaahilasi  bhaavam  sahassarassT.  ta  ehi,  abbhan- 
taram  jevva  pavisamha. 

Raja,  {vilokya)  aye  parinataprayo  divasah.  ahaha.  sam- 
prati  hi — 

hrtva  padmavanadyutim  priyatame  Ve  ’yam  dinasrlr  gata 

rago  ’smin  mama  cetasi  ’va  savitur  bimbe  ’dhikam  laksyate 


ACT  TWO 


35 


(Exeunt  both  [Aranyaka  and  Maidservant].) 

Jester.  Come,  sir,  let’s  step  out  [of  the  plantain-bower] .  That 
slave-born  Indlvarika  has  gone  off  with  her. 

(They  both  come  out .62) 

King.  (Sighing.)  What!  she  is  gone?  Friend  Vasantaka, 
not  without  hindrance63  do  the  unlucky  obtain  what  they  wish  for. 
(Looking  around.)  Look,  my  friend,  look! 

This  cluster  of  lotuses,  though  their  flower-faces  are  closed,  tell, 
as  it  were, 

By  their  fuzziness64  their  joy  at  having  touched  her  tender  bud-like 
hand.65  [9] 

(Sighing.)  My  friend,  what  way  is  there  now  to  see  her  again? 

Jester.  Sir,  now  you’re  crying,  after  breaking  your  doll  your¬ 
self.66  You  don’t  act  on  the  advice  given  by  me,  ‘the  fool  of  a 
Brahman.’67 

King.  What  didn’t  I  do  [that  you  advised]  ? 

Jester.  You’ve  forgotten  it  already!  I  said  ‘Approach  in 
silence.’  You,  on  reaching  the  critical  moment,  through  the  con¬ 
ceit  of  your  pretended  learning  scolded  her  away  with  ‘  Ah,  timid 
one,  dismiss  thy  fear !  ’  and  other  sharp  words ;  why,  then,  are  you 
now  crying?  And  you’re  even  asking  about  a  way  [to  see  her] 
again. 

King.  What!  Though  it  was  comforting  her,  the  fool  calls 
it  ‘  scolding  ’ ! 

Jester.  It’s  quite  easy  to  see  who’s  the  fool  here.  So  what  of 
it?  The  Blessed  One  of  a  Thousand  Rays  is  eager  to  set.  So 
come,  let’s  go  indoors. 

King.  (Looking  around.)  Ah,  the  day  is  almost  at  its  close. 
Alas,  for  now, 

Taking  away68  the  beauty  of  the  lotus  clusters,  the  loveliness  of  the 
day,  like  my  dearest  one,  is  gone; 

In  yon  orb  of  the  sun,  as  in  this  heart  of  mine,  a  ruddy  glow  appears69; 


36 


PRIYADARSIKA 


cakrahvo  ’ham  iva  sthitah  sahacarim  dhyayan  nalinyas  tate 
samjatah  sahasa  mame  ’va  bhuvanasya  *py  andhakara  disah 
[io] 


(iti  niskrcintdh  sarve ) 

iti  dvitlyo  ’hkah 


ACT  TWO 


37 


The  love-bird70  stands,  like  me,  on  the  marge  of  the  lotus-pool,  thinking 
of  his  mate; 

The  regions71  of  the  world,  too,  have  suddenly  grown  dark  like  the 
depths  of  my  own  heart.72  [io] 

(. Exeunt  omnes.) 


End  of  the  Second  Act 


TRTIYO  ’NKAH 


[ Pra vesakah ] 

(tat ah  pravisati  Manorama) 

Manorama.  anatta  mhi  devie  Vasavadattae:  hanje 
Manorame,  jo  so  Sankiccaanie  ajjaiittassa  mama  a  vuttanto 
nadaovanibaddho  tassa  naccidavvasesam  ajja  tumhehim  komu- 
dlmahusave  naccidavvam  ti.  hio  kkhu  Aranniae  piasahle 
sunnahiaae  annadha  jewa  naccidam.  ajja  una  Vasavadatta- 
bhumiae  tae  jai  tadha  kariadi  tado  avassam  devl  kuppissadi. 
ta  kahim  dava  tarn  pekkhia  uvalambhissam.  (vilokya)  esa 
Arannia  appana  jewa  kim  pi  kim  pi  mantaanti  digghiatlre 
kadallgharaam  pavisadi.  ta  gummantarida  bhavia  sunissam 
dava  se  vlsaddhajappidaim. 


iti  pravesakah 


(tat  ah  pramsaty  dsanasthd  kamdvasthdm  natayanty  Ar any  aka) 

Aranyaka.  ( nihsvasya )  hiaa,  dullahajanam  patthaanto 

tumam  kisa  mam  dukkhidam  karesi. 

•  •  • 

Manorama.  tarn  edam  sunnahiaattanassa  karanam.  kim 

•  •  •  •  • 

una  esa  patthedi.  avahida  dava  sunissam. 

Aranyaka.  (sasrarn)  kadham  tadha  nama  sohanadam- 

sano  bhavia  maharao  evvam  samtavedi  mam.  acchariam 
•  •  •  •  • 

acchariam.  (nihsvasya)  adha  va  maha  jjevva  esa  abhaaheada, 

na  una  maharaassa  doso. 

•  • 

Manorama.  (sahdspam)  kadham  maharao  jjewa  se 
patthanio.  sahu  piasahi  sahu.  ahijadasariso  de  ahilaso. 


38 


ACT  III 


[INTRODUCTORY  SCENE] 

( Enter  Manorama.) 

Manorama.  I’ve  been  bidden  by  Queen  Vasavadatta  as  fol¬ 
lows  :  1  Manorama,  today,  at  the  great  Kaumudi-festival,1  you2  are 
to  perform  the  rest  of  the  play  which  was  composed  by  Sarikrt- 
yayani3  about  the  adventure  of  my  lord  and  myself/  Now,  yes¬ 
terday  it  was  acted  poorly  by  my  dear  friend  Aranyaka  because  of 
her  absentmindedness.4  If  she  does  so  again  today  in  the  role 
of  Vasavadatta,  the  Queen  will  surely  be  angry.  So5  where  now 
shall  I  look  for  her  and  take  her  to  task?  ( Looking  around.) 
Here  is  Aranyaka  entering  the  plantain  bower  by  the  bank  of  the 
pool,  talking  to  herself  about  something  or  other.  So  I’ll  remain 
concealed  behind  the  clump  of  bushes  and  listen  to  her  unreserved 
talk. 

End  of  the  Introductory  Scene6 


( Enter  Aranyaka  seated ,7  acting  as  if  in  love.) 

Aranyaka.  (Sighing.)  O  my  heart!8  why  dost  thou  make 
me  so  unhappy  by  longing  for  one  that  can  hardly  be  thine? 

Manorama.  So  this  was  the  cause  of  her  absentmindedness ! 
But  what  is  she  longing  for?  Fm  going  to  listen9  attentively. 

Aranyaka.  (In  tears.)  How  can  the  King,  whose  appear¬ 
ance  is  so  noble,  cause  me  such  distress  ?  Strange,  strange ! 
(Sighing.)  On  the  contrary,  it’s  my  own  misfortune,  and  not 
the  King’s  fault. 

Manorama.  (Weeping.)  What,  is  it  the  King  she  is  longing 
for?  Good,  my  dear  friend,  good!  Your  passion  is  in  keeping 
with  your  noble  birth. 


39 


40 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Aranyaka.  kassa  dava  edam  vuttantam  nivedia  sajjha- 
veanam  via  dukkham  karissam.  ( vicintya )  adha  va  atthi  me 
hiaanivvisesa  piasahi  Manorama.  tae  vi  edam  lajjae  na  paremi 
kadhidum.  savvadha  maranam  vajjia  kudo  me  hiaassa  anna 
nivvudl. 

Manorama.  ( sasram )  haddhl  haddhi.  adibhumim  gado 
se  tavassinie  anurao.  ta  kim  danim  ettha  karissam. 

Aranyaka.  ( sabhilasam )  aam  so  uddeso  jassim  mahua- 

rehim  aaslanti  olambia  maharaena  samassasida  mhi  bhlru  ma 
•  • 

bhaahi  tti. 

Manorama.  ( saharsam )  kadham  esa  vi  dittha  maha¬ 
raena.  savvadha  atthi  se  jlvidassa  uvao.  java  uvasappia 
samassasemi  nam.  ( sahaso  ' pasrtya )  juttam  nama  hiaassa  vi 
lajjidum. 

Aranyaka.  ( salajjam  atmagatam)  haddhi  haddhl.  sav- 
vam  sudam  edae.  ta  ettha  juttam  jevva  paasaidum.  ( praka - 
sam  haste  grhitva)  piasahi,  ma  kuppa  ma  kuppa.  lajja  ettha 
avarajjhadi. 

Manorama.  ( saharsam )  sahi,  alam  sankae.  edam  me 
aakkha :  saccam  jewa  tumam  maharaena  dittha  na  va  tti. 

Aranyaka.  ( salajjam  adhomukhi )  sudam  jevva  piasahie 
savvam. 

Manorama.  jai  dittha  maharaena  tumam  ta  alam  sam- 

**  •  •  •  •  •  • 

tappidena.  so  j jevva  danim  damsanovaapajjaulo  bhavissadi. 

Aranyaka.  aam  sahlano  pakkhavadena  mantedi.  ai  sahi- 
pakkhavadini,  devigunanialanibaddhe  kkhu  tassim  jane  kudo 
edam. 

Manorama.  ( vihasya )  hala  apandide,  kamalimbaddha- 

nurao  vi  mahuaro  maladim  pekkhia  ahinavarasasadalampado 

kudo  tarn  anasadia  thidim  karedi. 

•  •  •  • 

Aranyaka.  kim  edina  asambhavidena.  ta  ehi.  ahiam 
khu  saradadavena  samtappidaim  ajja  vi  na  me  angaim  samta- 
vam  muncanti. 


ACT  THREE 


41 


Aranyaka.  To  whom,  pray,  can  I  tell  this  matter  and  make 
the  pain  of  my  misery  in  a  way  endurable.10  ( Reflecting .) 
Why,  I  have  my  dear  friend  Manorama,  who  is  like  my  own 
heart.11 — I  can’t  bring  myself  to  tell  it  even  to  her  because  of 
bashfulness.  What  other  solace  for  my  heart  is  there  at  all,  save 
death  ? 

Manorama.  ( In  tears.)  Alas,  alas!  The  poor  girl’s  passion 
has  reached  an  extreme.  So  what  am  I  to  do  about  it  now  ? 

Aranyaka.  {Longingly .)  This  is  the  place  where,  as  I  was 
tormented  by  the  bees,  I  clung  to  the  King  and  was  comforted  by 
him  with  the  words  f  Ah,  timid  one,  be  not  afraid !  ’12 

Manorama.  {Joyfully.)  What!  the  King  has  seen  her,  too? 
Surely  there’s  a  way  to  save  her  life.  I’ll  approach  directly  and 
comfort  her.  {Suddenly  approaching.)  It’s  quite  right  for  your 
heart  to  be  abashed. 

Aranyaka.  ( Bashfully ,  aside.)  Alas,  alas!  She  has  heard 
everything.  So  it’s  quite  right  to  speak  out  about  it.  {Aloud, 
taking  her  by  the  hand.)  Dear  friend,  don’t  be  angry,  don’t  be 
angry!  Bashfulness  is  to  blame  here. 

Manorama.  {Joyfully.)  My  friend,  no  more  hesitation! 
Tell  me  this :  is  it  true  that  you’ve  been  seen  by  the  King,  or  not? 

Aranyaka.  {Lowering  her  face  bashfully.)  My  dear  friend 
has  heard  it  all. 

Manorama.  If  you  have  been  seen  by  the  King,  then  don’t 
be  distressed  any  longer;  he  himself  will  now  be  anxious  to  con¬ 
trive  a  way  to  see  you. 

Aranyaka.  That’s  a  friend  speaking  with  partiality.  Ah, 
you  flatterer,13  how  can  this  be  when  that  one  is  bound  by  the  fet¬ 
ters  of  the  Queen’s  charms? 

Manorama.  {Laughing.)  You  unsophisticated  girl!  Even 
though  its  love  is  fixed  upon  the  lotus,  does  the  bee,14  when  it  sees 
the  jasmine  and  hankers  after  the  sweetness  of  a  new  perfume, 
keep  quiet  without  obtaining  it? 

Aranyaka.  What  is  the  use  of  such  an  impossible  idea  ?  So 
come.  My  limbs  are  greatly  distressed  by  the  autumn  heat  and 
even  yet  find  no  relief  from  their  distress.15 


42 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Manor  am  a.  ai  lajjalue,  na  juttam  edam  avattham  gadae 
vi  tue  appa  pacchadidum. 

(Ar any  aka  mukham  avanamayati) 

Manorama.  ai  avissambhasile,  kim  danim  pacchadesi. 
msasanihaviniggado  divasam  rattim  pi  tuha  anurao  avirada- 
padanta-Kusumasarasaranivahappaiittahumkarasaddo  via  na 
bhanadi.  ( dtntagatam )  adha  va  na  hu  aam  kalo  uvalambhassa. 
ta  dava  nalinipattaim  se  hiae  daissam.  ( utthaya  dlrghikaya 
nalinipattrani  grhitva  ’ ranyakdyd  hr  day  e  dadati)  samassasadu 
sahi  samassasadu. 


( tat  ah  pravisati  Vidusakah) 

Vidusakah.  adimahanto  kkhu  piavaassassa  Aranniae 
uvari  anurao,  jena  pariccattaraakajjo  tae  jjevva  damsanovaam 
cintaanto  attanaam  vinodedi.  (vicintya)  kahim  danim  tarn 
pekkhami.  adha  va  tahim  digghiae  annesami.  ( parikramati ) 

Manorama.  (dkarnya)  padasaddo  via  suniadi.  ta  kada- 
ligummantaridao  bhavia  pekkhamha  dava  ko  eso  tti. 

( ubhe  tathd  krtvd  pasyatah) 

Aranyaka.  kadham  so  jjevva  maharaassa  pasaparivattl 
bamhano. 

Manorama.  kadhatn  Vasantao  jjevva.  ( saharsam  atma- 
gatam)  avi  nama  tadha  bhave. 

Vidusakah.  (diso  ' valokya )  kim  danim  Arannia  saccam 
jevva  samvutta. 

Manorama.  ( sasmdtam )  sahi,  raavaasso  kkhu  bamhano 
tumam  uddisia  mantedi.  ta  dava  avahidao  sunamha. 

{Aranyaka  sasprham  salajjam  ca  srnoti) 

Vidusakah.  ( sodvegam )  jada  dava  mae  garuamaana- 

samtavanisahassa  piavaassassa  assatthavaanena  devinam  Vasa- 

•  •  •  • 


ACT  THREE 


43 


Manorama.  O  you  bashful  girl,  it  is  not  right  for  you,  when 
in  such  a  state,  to  conceal  your  feelings.16 

(Aranyaka  hangs  her  head.) 

Manorama.  O  you  unconfiding  girl !  Why  conceal  now  ?  Does 
not  your  passion,  evinced  by  sighs17  day  and  night  like  the  whir¬ 
ring  sound  produced  by  the  ceaselessly  falling  showers  of  arrows 
of  the  god  whose  darts  are  flowers,18  speak  for  itself?  (Aside.) 
But  really  this  is  no  time  for  reproaches.  So  I  shall  now  put  some 
lotus-leaves19  upon  her  heart.  (Rises  and  takes  lotus-leaves  from 
the  pool  and  places  them  on  Aranyaka’ s  heart.)  Be  comforted, 
friend,  be  comforted. 

(Enter  Jester.) 

Jester.  My  dear  friend’s  passion  for  Aranyaka  is  surely  very 
great;  for  he  neglects  affairs  of  state  and  diverts  himself  by  think¬ 
ing  about  a  way  to  see  her  only.  ( Reflecting .)  Where  now  shall 
I  find  her? — Why,  I  shall  search  there  at  the  pool.  (He  zvalks 
about.) 

Manorama.  (Listening.)  I  hear  something  like  footsteps. 
So  let’s  conceal  ourselves  in  the  clump  of  plantains  and  see  who 
it  is. 

(Both  do  so  and  look.) 

Aranyaka.  Why,  this  is  the  Brahman  who  is  the  companion 
of  the  King! 

Manorama.  What !  Vasantaka?  (Joyfully,  to  herself .)  May 
it  be  true  !20 

Jester.  (Looking  in  all  directions.)  Why,  has  Aranyaka 
[Forest  Maiden]  really  become  a  ‘forest  maiden’?21 

Manorama.  (Smiling.)  My  dear,  the  King’s  friend,  the 
Brahman,  is  talking  about  you.  So  let’s  listen  attentively. 

(Aranyaka  listens  eagerly  and  bashfully.) 

Jester.  (Anxiously.)  Since,  at  the  distracted  bidding  of  my 
dear  friend,  who  can  hardly  bear  the  torment  of  his  great  love,  I 


44 


PRIYADARSIKA 


vadatta-Padumavadlnam  annanam  ca  devinam  bhavanaim 
annesantena  na  sa  dittha  tada  jahim  digghiae  dittha  edam  pi 
dava  pekkhissam  ti  aado  mhi.  ta  java  idha  vi  natthi.  kim 

danim  karissam. 

•  •  • 

Manorama.  sudam  piasahie. 

Vidusakah.  ( vicintya )  adha  va  bhanido  jjevva  aham 
vaassena:  jai  tarn  annesanto  na  pekkhasi  ta  tado  vi  dava 
digghiado  tae  karadalappharisadiunidasuhasidalaim  nalini- 
pattaim  genhia  aaccha  tti.  ta  kadham  edaim  janidavvaim. 

Manorama.  aam  me  avasaro.  ( upasrtya  Vidusakam  haste 
grhitva)  Vasantaa,  ehi.  aham  |de  janavemi. 

Vidusakah.  ( sabhayam )  kassa  tumam  janavesi.  kim 
devie.  na  hu  mae  kim  pi  mantidam. 

Manorama.  Vasantaa,  alam  sankae.  jadisi  Aranniae 
kide  attano  piavaassassa  avattha  tue  vannida  tado  diunadara 
bhattino  vi  kide  maha  piasahie  avattha.  ta  pekkha  pekkha. 
(■ upasrtya  ’ ranyakam  darsayati) 

Vidusakah.  ( drstva  saharsam)  saphalo  me  parissamo. 
sotthi  bhodie. 

(Ar  any  aka  salajjam  kamalinlpattrany  apamyo  * ttisthati ) 

Manorama.  ajja  Vasantaa,  tuha  damsanena  jjevva  ava- 
gado  piasahie  samtavo,  jena  saam  jewa  nalinlpattaim  avanedi. 
ta  anugenhadu  ajjo  imaim. 

Aranyaka.  {save gam)  ai  parihasaslle,  klsa  mam  lajjavesi. 

{kim  cit  parahmukkl  tisthati) 

V  idusakah.  {savisadam)  citthantu  dava  nalinlpattaim. 
adilajjalua  de  piasahl.  ta  kadham  edanam  samaamo  bhavissadi. 

Manorama.  {ksanam  vicintya  saharsam)  Vasantaa,  evvarn 
via.  {karne  kathayati) 

Vidusakah.  sahu  piasahi  sahu.  {apavdrya)  java  jjevva 
tumhe  nevacchaggahanam  karedha  tava  jjevva  aham  pi 
vaassam  genhia  aacchami.  {iti  niskrdntah) 


ACT  THREE 


45 


searched  the  apartments  of  Vasavadatta,  Padmavatl,  and  the  other 
queens,22  and  did  not  see  her,  I  have  come  in  order  to  look  also23 
at  the  pool  where  she  was  seen.  But  she  isn’t  here  either.24 
What  am  I  to  do  now  ? 

Manorama.  Did  my  dear  friend  hear  that? 

Jester.  ( Reflecting .) — Now  that  I  think  of  it,25  my  friend 
said  to  me:  ‘ If  you  do  not  find  her  by  searching  for  her,  then  at 
least  bring  from  the  pool  there  the  lotus-leaves  that  have  had 
their  grateful  coolness  doubled  by  the  touch  of  her  hand.’  But 
how  am  I  to  tell  them? 

Manorama.  This  is  my  chance.  ( Approaching  and  taking 
the  Jester  by  the  hand.)  Vasantaka,  come,  I’ll  tell. 

Jester.  ( In  fear.)  Whom  are  you  going  to  tell?26  The 
Queen?  I  haven’t  said  anything  at  all. 

Manorama.  Vasantaka,  there’s  no  need  to  be  alarmed.  The 
plight  of  your  dear  friend  on  account  of  Aranyaka,  as  you  describe 
it,  is  only  half27  the  plight  of  my  dear  friend  on  account  of  our 
lord.  So  look,  look!  (Approaching,  she  points  out  Aranyaka.) 

Jester.  (Seeing  her,  joyfully.)  My  efforts  have  borne  fruit! 
Hail  to  your  Ladyship ! 

(Aranyaka  bashfully  lays  aside  the  lotus-leaves  and  rises.) 

Manorama.  Worthy  Vasantaka,  the  distress  of  my  dear 
friend  has  vanished  at  the  mere  sight  of  you,  for  she  lays  the 
lotus-leaves  aside  of  her  own  accord.  So  take  them,  sir. 

Aranyaka.  (With  agitation.)  O  you  mocking  girl!  Why 
do  you  embarrass  me?  (She  stands  with  her  face  somewhat 
averted.)2* 

Jester.  (Dejectedly.)  Let  the  lotus-leaves  be.  Your  dear 
friend’s  too  bashful. — Now,  how  can  a  meeting  between  the  two 
be  arranged? 

Manorama.  (After  reflecting  a  moment,  joyfully.)  Vasan¬ 
taka,  in  this  way.  (Whispers  in  his  ear.22) 

Jester.  Bravo,  dear  girl,  bravo!  (Aside.20)  While  you  two 
are  putting  on  your  costumes,  I’ll  get  my  friend  and  come.  (Exit.) 


46 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Manorama.  adikovane,  utthehi  utthehi.  naccidavvam 
amhehim  tassa  jjevva  nadaassa  naccidavvasesam.  ta  ehi, 
pekkhagharam  jevva  gacchamha.  ( parikramyd  ’ valokya )  idam 
pekkhagaram.  java  ehi,  pavisamha.  ( pravistakend  J valokya ) 
sahu  sahu.  savvam  sajjikidam.  devle  aantawam. 

(tat ah  pravisati  Devi  Sdhkrtydyanl  vibhavatas  ca  parivdrah) 

Vasavadatta.  bhaavadi,  aho  de  kavittanam,  jena  edam 
gudhavuttantam  nadaovanibaddham  sanubhavam  pi  amhanam 
ajjaiittacaridam  aditthapuvvam  via  dlsantam  ahiadaram  kodu- 
halam  vaddhaadi. 

Sarikrtyayani.  ayusmati,  asrayaguna  eva  ’yam  idrsah, 
yad  asaram  api  kavyam  avasyam  eva  srnvatam  sravanasukham 
utpadayati.  pasya. 

prayo  yat  kim  cid  api  prapnoty  utkarsam  asrayan  mahatah 

mattebhakumbhatatagatam  eti  hi  srhgaratam  bhasma  [i] 


Vasavadatta.  ( sasmitam )  bhaavadi,  savvassa  vallaho 
jamada  bhodi  tti  janiadi  jjevva  edam.  ta  kim  edina  kadhanu- 
bandhena.  varam  tarn  jewa  naccidavvam  datthum. 

Sankrtyayanl.  evam.  Indlvarike,  preksagrham  ade- 
saya. 

C  e  1 1.  edu  edu  bhattinl. 

•  •  •  • 

( sarvdh  parikrdmanti) 

Sankrtyayanl.  ( vilokya )  aho  preksaniyata  preksa- 
grhasya. 

abhati  ratnasatasobhitasatakumbha- 
stambhavasaktaprthumauktikadamaramyam 
adhyasitam  yuvatibhir  vijitapsarobhih 
preksagrham  suravimanasamanam  etat  [2] 

ManoramAranyake.  ( upasrtya )  j edu  j edu  bhattinl. 


ACT  THREE 


47 


Manorama.  O  you  cross  girl,  get  up,  get  up!  We  have  to 
act  the  rest  of  that  play.  So  come,  let’s  go  to  the  playhouse. 
(  Walking  about 31  and  looking  around.)  Here  is  the  playhouse.32 
Come  now,  let’s  go  in.  ( With  a  gesture  of  entering 33;  looking 
around.)  Bravo,  bravo!  Everything  is  ready.  The  Queen  must 
be  coming.34 

(Enter  Queen  [Vasavadatta],  SankrtyayanI,  and 
the  Retinue  in  order  of  rank.) 

Vasavadatta.  What  poetic  talent  is  yours,35  good  madam!39 
For  this  dramatized  story  of  my  Lord  and  myself,  with  its  secret 
incidents,  although  I  took  part  in  it,37  raises  my  interest  to  the 
highest  pitch  when  it  is  seen,  just  as  if  it  had  not  been  seen  before. 

SankrtyayanI.38  Your  Highness,39  the  mere  merit  of  this 
subject  is  such  that  the  poetry,  even  though  insipid,  necessarily 
causes  delight  to  the  ears  of  its  hearers.  Look  you, 

As  a  rule,  a  thing,  whatever  it  be,  attains  eminence  through  contact 
with  what  is  great; 

Ashes,  indeed,  become  an  embellishment  when  applied  to  the  forehead 
of  an  elephant  in  rut.40  [i] 

Vasavadatta.  (With  a  smile.)  Good  madam,  it’s  well  known 
that  every  one  is  fond  of  a  son-in-law.41  So  why  continue  this 
conversation?  It’s  better  to  see  the  performance. 

SankrtyayanI.  Quite  so.  Indivarika,  direct  us  to  the  play¬ 
house. 

Maidservant  [Indivarika].  Let  Your  Highness42  deign  to 
come. 

(All  walk  about.) 

SankrtyayanI.  (Looking  around.)  O  the  wonderful  ap¬ 
pearance  of  the  playhouse ! 42a 

Lovely  with  golden  columns  adorned  with  hundreds  of  jewels, 

Festooned  with  great  strings  of  pearls,43 

Thronged  with  damsels  that  surpass  the  Nymphs44 — 

This  playhouse  shines  resplendent  as  the  abode  of  the  gods.45  [2] 

Manorama  and  Aranyaka.  (Approaching.)  Hail,  hail  to 
Your  Highness! 


48 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Vasavadatta.  Manorame,  adikkanta  khu  samjha.  ta 
gacchadha.  lahu  genhadha  nevaccham. 

U  b  h  e.  jam  devl  anavedi.  (iti  prasthite) 

Vasavadatta.  Arannie,  edehim  jevva  madangapinad- 
dhehim  abharanehim  nevacchabhumim  gadua  attanaam  pasa- 
hehi.  ( dbharandny  ahgcid  avatdrya  ’ ranyakdydh  samar p ay ati) 
Manorame,  tumam  pi  Nalagiriggahanaparitutthena  tadena 
ajjaiittassa  dinnaim  abharanaim  Indlvariasaasado  genhia 
nevacchabhumiam  gadua  attanaam  mandehi  jena  susadisl 
disasi  maharaassa. 

( Manorame  ’ ndwarikasakasad  abharanani  grhitvd  sahd 

* ranyakayd  niskrantd) 

Indivarika.  edam  asanam.  uvavisadu  bhattinl. 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Vasavadatta.  ( asanam  nirdisya)  uvavisadu  bhaavadi. 


( ubhe  upavisatah ) 

[Garbhanatakam]  * 

(tat ah  pravisati  grhitancpathyah  Kancukl) 

Kancuki. 

antahpuranam  vihitavyavasthah 
pade  pade  ’ham  skhalitani  raksan 
jaraturah  samprati  dandamtya 
sarvam  nrpasya  ’nukaromi  vrttam  [3] 


bhoh,  ajnapito  ’smi  vimanitasesasatrusainyena  yatha- 
rthanamna  Mahasenena:  samadisyatam  antahpuresu: 

*  The  lines  of  the  Mimic  Play  are  distinguished  from  those  of  the  main 
action  by  special  marginal  indention. 


ACT  THREE 


49 


Vasavadatta.  Manorama,  twilight  is  already  past.46  So  do 
you  both  go  [and]  put  on  your  costumes  quickly. 

Both.  As  Your  Majesty  commands.  ( Both  start  to  go .) 

Vasavadatta.  Aranyaka,  go  to  the  dressing-room  and  adorn 
yourself  with  these  ornaments  that  I  am  wearing.47  ( Taking  off 
the  ornaments  from  her  person,  she  hands  them  to  Aranyaka.) 
Manorama,  do  you  in  turn  take  from  Indivarika  the  ornaments 
that  were  given  to  my  Lord  by  my  father  in  delight  at  his  capture 
of  [the  elephant]  Nalagiri,48  and,  going  to  the  dressing-room, 
decorate  yourself,  so  as  to  look  as  like  as  possible  to  the  King. 

(Manorama  takes  the  ornaments  from  Indivarika  and 
goes  out  with  Aranyaka.) 

Indivarika.  Here  is  a  seat;  let  Your  Highness  be  seated. 

Vasavadatta.  ( [Addressing  SankrtyayanI]49  ;  pointing  to 
a  seat.)  Good  madam,  be  seated. 

( Both  sit  down.) 

[THE  MIMIC  PLAY]* 

( Enter  a  Chamberlain  in  costume.60) 

Chamberlain.51 

<Maintaining  the  order  of  the  zenana>, 

« Guarding  against  stumbling  at  every  step  by  the  guidance 
of  a  staff52», 

I,  who  am  now  enfeebled  by  age, 

Imitate  the  whole  conduct  of  a  king, 

<Who  maintains  the  order  of  his  towns  within> 

And  «guards  [them]  against  slips  continually  by  the  admin¬ 
istration  of  justice».  [3] 

Ah!  I  have  been  commanded  by  Mahasena — well  he 
deserves  that  name,53  disdaining  as  he  does  all  the 
armies  of  his  foes — as  follows :  *  Announce  to  the  ladies 

*  The  lines  of  the  Mimic  Play  are  distinguished  from  those  of  the 
main  action  by  special  marginal  indention. 


11 


50 


PRIYADARSIKA 


yatha  svo  vayam  Udayanotsavam  anubhavamah,  ato 
yusmabhir  utsavanurupavesojjvalena  parijanena  saha 
Manmathodyanam  gantavyam  iti. 

Sankrtyayani.  ( Kahcukinam  nirdisya)  rajaputri,  pra- 
vrtta  preksa.  drsyatam. 

Kancuki.  tad  etad  adestavyam  parijanena  saha 
gantavyam  iti  grhitanepathyene  ’ti  na  ’destavyam. 
kutah — 

i 

padair  nupuribhir  nitambaphalakaih  sihjanakancl- 
gunair 

harapaditakantibhih  stanatataih  keyuribhir  bahubhih 

karnaih  kundalibhih  karaih  savalayaih  sasvastikair 
murdhajair 

devlnam  paricarikaparijano  ’py  etesu  samdrsyate 

[4] 

na  khalu  kim  cid  atra  ’purvam  anustheyam.  kevalam 
svamyadesa  iti  matva  ’ham  samadistah.  tad  ajnase- 
sam  rajaputryai  nivedayami.  ( parikramyd  ’valokya  ca) 
iyam  sa  Vasavadatta  vinahastaya  Kancanamalaya 
’nugamyamana  gandharvasalam  pravista.  yavad 
asyah  kathayami.  ( parikrdmati ) 


(tat ah  pravisati  grhita-Vasavadattanepathya 
* sanastha  ’ranyaka  vmahastd  Kahcana- 

mald  ca) 

Aranyaka.  hala  Kancanamale,  klsa  una  ciraadi 
ajja  vi  vinaario. 

Kancanamala.  bhattidarie,  dittho  tena  ekko 

•  •  '  •  •  • 

ummatto.  tassa  vaanam  sunia  cittena  bhavido 

•  •  •  • 

ohasanto  citthadi. 


ACT  THREE 


51 


of  the  zenana  that,  as  we  are  tomorrow  to  celebrate  the 
Festival  of  Udayana,54  they  are  to  come  to  the  Garden 
of  Love,55  with  their  retinue  in  splendid  attire  befitting 
the  festival.’ 

Sankrtyayan!.  ( Pointing  to  the  Chamberlain.)  Princess, 
the  play  has  begun.  Look ! 

Chamberlain.  So  I  must  direct  them  to  come  with 
a  retinue,  but  I  need  not  direct  that  these  put  on  costume, 
for — 

Among  them  even  the  retinue  of  the  maids-of-honor  of  the 
queens  is  conspicuous, 

With  their  feet  adorned  with  anklets,  their  broad  hips  with 
tinkling  girdle-bands, 

With  their  swelling  bosoms’  loveliness  enhanced  by  pearl 
necklaces, 

With  armlets  on  their  arms,  bracelets  on  their  wrists,  rings 
in  their  ears,56  and  swastikas57  in  their  hair.58  [4] 

Surely  there  is  nothing  special  to  be  done  in  this  case. 

I  received  my  orders  with  the  idea  that  I  should  merely 
follow  my  Lord’s  direction.  So  I  shall  communicate 
the  rest  of  the  command59  to  the  Princess.  ( Walking 
about  and  looking  around.)  Here  is  Vasavadatta  [just] 
entering  the  music-room60  attended  by  Kancanamala 
who  has  a  lut£61  in  her  hand.  I  shall  tell  her  at  once. 

{He  walks  about.) 

\ 

{Enter  Aranyaka  seated,  in  the  costume  of 
Vasavadatta,  and  Kancanamala62  with  a 
lute  in  her  hand.) 

Aranyaka.  Kancanamala,  why  is  the  music-teacher 
late  again  today? 

Kancanamala.  Princess,  he  has  seen  a  crazy  fel¬ 
low63  and,  struck  with  wonder  at  hearing  his  talk,  is 
standing  there  laughing  at  him. 


52 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Aranyaka.  (sahastatdlam  vihasya)  hanje,  sutthu 
edam  pucchadi.  sarisa  sarise  rajjanti  tti  duve  ettha 
ummatta. 

Sankrtyayani.  rajaputryah  sadrsam  akaram  pasyamy 
asyah.  tadrsena  ’karena  Vasyam  tvadiyam  bhumikam  sambha- 
vayisyati. 

Kancuki.  ( upasrtya )  rajaputri,  devas  tvam 
ajnapayati:  svo  Vasyam  asmabhir  vlnam  vadayantl 
srotavya.  tat  tvaya  navatantrisajjaya  ghosavatya 
stheyam  iti. 

Aranyaka.  jai  ewam  lahu  vlnaariam  visajjehi. 

Kancuki.  esa  Vatsarajam  presayami.  (iti 

niskrdntah) 

Aranyaka.  Kancanamale,  uvanehi  me  ghosa- 
vadim  java  se  tantio  parikkhemi. 

(Kdncanamald  vlnam  arpayati.  Aranyako 
’tsahge  vlnam  krtvd  sdrayati ) 


(tatah  pravisati  grhlta-Vatsardjanepathyd  Manorama) 

Manorama.  ( svagatam )  ciraadi  kkhu  maharao.  kim  na 
kadhidam  Vasantaena.  adha  va  devie  bhaadi.  jai  danim 
aacche  tado  ramaniam  bhave. 

(tatah  pravisati  Raja  ’vagunthitasarlro  Vidusakas  ca) 

Raja. 

samtapam  prathamam  tatha  na  kurute  sitamsur  adyai  Va  me 
nisvasa  glapayanty  ajasram  adhunai  Vo  ’snas  tatha  na 
’dharam 

sampraty  eva  mano  na  sunyam  alasany  angani  no  purvavad 
duhkham  yati  manorathesu  tanutam  samcintyamanesv  api 

[5] 


ACT  THREE 


53 


Aranyaka.  ( Clapping  her  hands  and  laughing.) 

My  dear,  he  does  well  to  question  him.  ‘  Like  will  to 
like/  as  they  say.64  So  it’s  a  case  of  two  crazy  fellows 
together. 

Sankrtyayani.  [Addressing  Vasavadatta.65]  I  see  that 
her  bearing  is  like  that  of  a  princess ;  with  such  a  bearing  she  will 
surely  enact  your  part  adequately. 

Chamberlain.  ( Approaching .)  Princess,  the  King 
gives  you  this  command:  ‘Tomorrow  we  must  surely 
hear  you  play  the  lute,  so  you  must  be  ready  with 
Ghosavati66  newly  strung/ 

Aranyaka.  If  so,  send  the  music-teacher  at  once. 

Chamberlain.  I  myself  shall  send  Vatsaraja. 

(j Exit.) 

Aranyaka.  Kancanamala,  hand  me  [the  lute]  Ghosa¬ 
vatl,  so  that  I  may  examine  its  strings.67 

(Kancanamala  gives  her  the  lute.  Aran¬ 
yaka  puts  the  lute  on  her  lap  and  runs  over 

[the  strings].) 

{Enter  Manorama  in  the  costume  of  Vatsaraja.) 

Manorama.  (Aside.68)  The  King  is  certainly  late.  Didn’t 
Vasantaka  tell  him  ?  Or  is  he  afraid  of  the  Queen  ?  If  he  should 
come  now  it  would  be  charming. 

(Enter  King,  with  his  body  wrapt  [in  a  mantle ]f  and  the 

Jester.) 

King. 

Today  the  chill-rayed  moon  does  not  cause  me  such  distress  as  at 

first,69 

Nor  do  burning  sighs  now  so  constantly  parch  my  lips; 

My  mind  is  not  vacant,  nor  my  limbs  so  languorous  as  before; 

My  misery  grows  less  even  as  I  ponder  upon  my  heart’s  desires.70  [5] 


54 


PRIYADARSIKA 


vayasya,  satyam  evo  ’ktam  Manoramaya :  yathai  ’sa  mama  priya- 
sakhi  devya  maharajasya  darsanapathad  api  raksyate,  tad  ayam 
samagamopayah.  adya  ratrav  asmabhir  Udayanacaritam 
nama  natakam  devyah  purato  nartitavyam.  tatra  ’ranyaka 
Vasavadatta  bhavisyati,  aham  api  Vatsarajah.  taccaritenai  Va 
sarvam  siksitavyam.  tad  agatya  svayam  eva  svam  bhumikam 
kurvanah  samagamotsavam  anubhavatv  iti. 

Vidusakah.  jai  mam  na  pattiaasi  esa  Manorama  tuha 
vesam  dharaantl  citthadi.  ta  uvasappia  saam  jevva  puccha. 

Raja.  ( Manoramdm  upasrtya )  Manorame,  satyam  idam 
yad  Vasantako  ’bhidhatte. 

Manorama.  bhatta,  saccam  jevva.  mandaa  edehim 

•  •  '  •  •/  ••  • 

abharanehim  attanaam.  (ity  abharanany  angad  avatarya  Rajne 
samarpayati) 


(Raja  paridadhati) 

Vidusakah.  ede  kkhu  raano  dasle  vi  evvam  naccavlanti. 
aho  kajjassa  garuada. 

Raja.  ( vihasya )  murkha,  nai  ’sa  kalah  parihasasya.  nibhr- 
tena  citrasalam  pravisya  Manoramaya  saha  ’smannrttam 
pasyata  sthiyatam. 

(abhau  tatha  kurutah) 

Aranyaka.  Kancanamale,  citthadu  vlna.  puc- 
chissam  dava  kim  pi. 

Raja,  srnomi  tavat  katamo  ’yam  uddeso  vartate.  (ity 
avahitah  srnoti) 

Kancanamala.  pucchadu  bhattidaria. 

Aranyaka.  saccam  jevva  tado  mantedi  evvam: 
jadha  jai  vinam  vadaanto  avaharedi  mam  Vaccharao 
avassam  bandhanado  muncemi  tti. 


ACT  THREE 


55 


Friend,  did  Manorama  really  say71 :  ‘  Since  this  dear  friend  of 
mine  is  kept  even  out  of  the  King’s  sight  by  the  Queen,  there  is 
this  way  for  them  to  come  together.  This  evening  we  are  to 
enact  before  the  Queen  a  play  called  The  Adventure  of  Udayana. 
In  it  Aranyaka  will  be  Vasavadatta  and  I  shall  be  Vatsaraja.  It 
must  all  be  learned  according  to  the  way  in  which  it  actually  hap¬ 
pened.  So  let  him  come  himself  and  by  playing  his  own  part 
enjoy  the  pleasure  of  the  meeting.’72? 

Jester.  If  you  don’t  believe  me,73  here  is  Manorama,  wearing 
your  costume.  So  approach  and  ask  her  yourself. 

King.  ( Approaching  Manorama.)  Manorama,  is  what  Va- 
santaka  reports  true  ? 

Manorama.  My  Lord,  it’s  quite  true.  Adorn  yourself  with 
these  ornaments.  ( Taking  off  the  ornaments  from  her  person , 
she  hands  them  to  the  King.) 

( The  King  puts  them  on.) 

Jester.  Here  we  have  kings  made  to  play  a  part  by  a  mere 
serving-maid  !  Oh,  what  a  state  of  affairs  !74 

King.  {Laughing.)  Fool!  this  is  not  the  time  for  a  joke! 
Go  quietly  into  the  picture-gallery75  with  Manorama  and  stay 
there  watching  our  acting. 

{Both  do  so.) 

\ 

Aranyaka.  Kancanamala,  let  the  lute  be.  I  want  to 
ask  you  something. 

King.  I’ll  listen  to  see  what  she  is  alluding  to.  {Listens  at¬ 
tentively.) 

Kancanamala.  Let  the  Princess  ask  it. 

Aranyaka.  Does  my  father76  really  express  himself 
to  this  effect:  ‘  If  Vatsaraja  transports77  me  by  his  play¬ 
ing  on  the  lute,  I  shall  certainly  release  him  from 
captivity  ’  ? 


56 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Raja.  ( pravisya  patdksepena  saharsavn  vastrdnte 
grathitam  badhnciti )  evam  etat.  kah  samdehah. 

saparijanam  Pradyotam  vismayam  upaniya  vadayan 
vlnam 

Vasavadattam  apaharami  na  cirad  eva  pasyamy 
aham  [6] 

yatah  susamvihitam  sarvam  Yaugandharayanena. 

Vasavadatta.  ( sahaso  ’tthdya)  jedu  jedu  ajjautto. 
Raja.  ( svagatam )  katham  pratyabhijnato ’smi  devya. 
Sankrtyayani.  ( sasmitam )  rajaputri,  alam  alam  sam- 
bhramena.  preksanlyakam  etat. 

Raja.  ( dtmagatam  saharsam)  idanlm  ucchvasito  ’smi. 
Vasavadatta.  ( savilak  sasmitam  upavisya)  kadham 

Manorama  esa.  mae  una  janidam  ajjautto  eso  tti.  sahu 
Manorame  sahu.  sohanam  nacciidam. 

Sankrtyayani.  rajaputri,  sthana  eva  krta  bhrantis  te 
Manoramaya.  pasya. 


rupam  tan  nayanotsavaspadam  idam  vesah  sa  evo  ’jjvalah 
sa  mattadviradocita  gatir  iyam  tat  sattvam  atyurjitam 
111a  sai  ’va  sa  eva  sandrajaladahradanukari  svarah 
saksad  darsita  esa  nah  kusalaya  Vatsesa  eva  ’naya  [7] 


Vasavadatta.  hanje  Indlvarie,  baddhena  ajjaiittena 
aham  vlnam  sikkhavida.  ta  se  karehi  nlluppaladamaena 
nialanam.  (sir as 0  ’pariiya  nilotpaladdmd  ’ rpayati ) 

(Indwarika  tathd  krtvd  punas  tatrai  ’vo  ’p  avis  at  i) 

Aranyaka.  Kancanamale,  kadhehi  kadhehi.  nam 
saccam  jewa  mantedi  tado:  jai  vlnam  vadaanto  ava- 


ACT  THREE 


57 


King.  ( Entering 78  with  a  toss  of  the  curtain f 9  joy¬ 
fully;  he  ties  a  knot 80  in  the  border  of  his  mantle.)  It 
is  so.  What  doubt  is  there  [about  it]  ? 

Having  won  the  admiration  of  Pradyota81  and  his  retinue  by 
my  playing  on  the  lute, 

I  shall  carry  off  Vasavadatta;  not  for  long  will  I  look  on 
[without  acting].82  [6] 

For  everything  has  been  well  arranged  by  Yaugandhara- 
yana.83 

Vasavadatta.  (Rising  suddenly.)  Hail,  hail  to  my  Lord! 
King.  (Aside.)  What!  Am  I  recognized  by  the  Queen? 
Sankrtyayani.  (With  a  smile.)  Princess,  do  not  be  misled ! 
This  is  a  play.84 

King.  (Aside,  joyfully.)  Now  I  breathe  freely  again. 
Vasavadatta.  (Sitting  down  with  an  embarrassed  smile.) 
Why,  that’s  Manorama!  And  I  thought  it  was  my  Lord! 
Bravo,  Manorama,  bravo!  Splendidly  acted! 

Sankrtyayan!.  Princess,  it  was  quite  natural  that  Manorama 
should  cause  your  mistake.  For  look! — 

Here  is  that  self-same85  form  which  causes  delight  to  the  eyes,  the 
same  splendid  raiment; 

Here,  the  same  characteristic  gait  of  the  maddened  elephant,86  and 
here  that  lofty  dignity87; 

This,  just  his  graceful  bearing  and  the  voice  like  the  rumble  of 
the  heavy  [thunder-]  cloud — 

Before  our  very  eyes  King  Vatsa  himself  is  shown  by  this  clever 
[actress].88  [7] 

Vasavadatta.  Indlvarika,  when  my  Lord  taught  me  to  play 
the  lute  he  was  in  fetters ;  so  make  a  chain  for  him  with  the  gar¬ 
land  of  blue  water-lilies.  (Taking  from  her  [own]  head  a  garland 
of  blue  water-lilies,  she  hands  it  to  her.) 

(IndIvarika,  having  done  as  directed,  resumes  her  seat.) 

Aranyaka.  Kancanamala,  do  tell  me,  does  my  father 
really  express  himself  to  this  effect;  ‘  If  Vatsaraja 


58 


PRIYADARSIKA 


haredi  mam  Vaccharao  tado  avassam  bandhanado 
•  •  • 

muncemi  tti. 

Kancanamala.  bhattidarie,  saccam.  tadha 

•  •  *  • 

karehi  jadha  Vaccharaassa  avassam  bahumada  hosi. 

Raja,  nispaditam  eva  Kancanamalaya  yat  tada 
’smabhir  abhilasitam. 

Aranyaka.  jai  evvam  ta  adarena  vadaissam. 

(gay anti  vadayati) 

ghanabandhanasamruddham  gaanam  datthuna  Ma- 

nasam  eum 
•  •  • 

ahilasai  raahamso  daiam  gheuna  appano  vasaim 

[8] 


(Vidusako  nidram  ndtayati) 

Manorama.  (hastena  cdlayanti )  Vasantaa,  pekkha  pekkha. 
piasahT  me  naccadi. 

Vidusakah.  (sarosam)  dasle  sude,  tumam  pi  na  desi 

suvidum.  jadappahudi  piavaassena  Arannia  dittha  tadappa- 

hudi  tena  saha  mae  rattimdivam  nidda  na  dittha.  ta  annado 
•  •  ••'•••  •• 

nikkamia  suvissam.  (niskramya  sete) 


Aranyaka.  (punar  gdyati) 

ahinavaraakkhitta  mahuaria  vamaena  kamena 
•  •  ♦ 

uttammai  patthantl  datthum  piadamsanam  daiam 

Raja,  (tatksanam  srutva  sahaso  ’ pasrtya )  sadhu 
rajaputri  sadhu.  aho  gitam  aho  vaditram.  tatha  hi — 


ACT  THREE 


59 


transports  me  by  his  playing  upon  the  lute,  then  I  shall 
certainly  release  him  from  captivity’?89 

Kancanamala.  Princess,  it  is  true.  Perform  in 
such  a  way  that  you  surely  may  be  highly  thought  of  by 
Vatsaraja. 

King.  [Soliloquizing.]  90  Kancanamala  has  actually 
brought  about  what  I  wished  then. 

Aranyaka.  If  so,  I’ll  play  [the  lute]  carefully. 

( Singing  as  she  plays.) 

At  the  sight  of  <the  vault  of  heaven91  obscured  by  chains 
of  clouds > 92 

«The  royal  swan»  yearns  «<to  go  to  [Lake]  Manasa93»>,  his 
own  abode,  taking  with  him  his  ««mate»» ; 

So  [Vatsaraja],  «swan  among  kings»,  at  the  sight  of  <his 
prison-vault  closed  by  heavy  chains> 

Yearns  «<to  attain  his  heart’s  desire»>,  his  own  abode,  taking 
with  him  his  ««beloved»».94  [8] 

(Jester  mimics  sleeps) 

Manorama.  ( Giving  him  a  shake  with  her  hand.)  Vasan- 
taka,  look,  look!  My  dear  friend  is  acting  [her  part]. 

Jester.  (Angrily.)  You  hussy!  Even  you  do  not  let  me 
sleep.  From  the  moment  that  my  dear  friend  saw  Aranyaka,  I 
haven’t,  in  his  company,  seen  a  wink  of  sleep  night  or  day.  So 
I’ll  go  off  somewhere  else  and  have  a  sleep.  (Goes  out  and  lies 
down.) 

Aranyaka.  (Sings  again.) 

The  honey-making  bee,96  smitten  with  new  passion  through 
adverse  Love, 

Pines  with  longing  to  see  her  mate,  who  is  lovely  to  look 
upon.97  [9] 

King.  (Directly  upon  hearing  this,  approaching  sud¬ 
denly.)  Well  done,  Princess,  well  done!  Such  a  song 
and  such  an  accompaniment !  For  thus — 


6o 


PRIYADARSIKA 


vyaktir  vyanjanadhatuna  dasavidhena  ’py  atra 
labdha  ’dhuna 

vispasto  drutamadhyalambitaparicchinnas  tridha 
’yam  layah 

gopucchapramukhah  kramena  yatayas  tisro  ’pi 
sampaditas 

tattvaughanugatas  ca  vadyavidhayah  samyak  trayo 
darsitah  [io] 

Aranyaka.  ( vinam  parisvajya  ’sanad  utthaya 

Rdjanam  sabhildsam  pasyanti)  uvajjhaa,  panamami. 

Raja.  ( sasmitam )  yad  aham  icchami  tat  te  bhuyat. 

Kancanamala.  ( Aranyakdyd  dsanam  nirdisya) 

idha  jjevva  uvavisadu  uvajjhao. 

Raja.  ( upamsya )  rajaputri  kve  ’danim  upavisatu. 

Kancanamala.  ( sasmitam )  idanim  jevva  bhat- 
tidaria  vijjamanena  paritosida  tumhehim.  ta  arihadi 
jjevva  esa  uvajjhaapldhiae. 

Raja,  upavisatv  arhe  ’yam  ardhasanasya.  raja¬ 
putri,  sthiyatam. 

( Aranyaka  Kdncanamalam  pasyati) 

Kancanamala.  ( sasmitam )  bhattidarie,  uva- 

visa.  ko  ettha  doso.  sissavisesa  khu  tumam. 

{Aranyaka  salajjam  upavisati) 

Vasavadatta.  ( salajjam )  bhaavadle  ahiam  kappidam 

kavvam.  na  hu  aham  tassim  kale  ekkasane  ajjaiittena  saha 

uvatthida. 

•  • 

Raja,  rajaputri,  punah  srotum  icchami.  vadaya 
vinam. 


ACT  THREE 


Distinctness  has  now  been  attained  here  through  the  ‘  distin¬ 
guishing  ’  mode  of  playing,  in  all98  its  ten  forms ; 

The  tempo,  in  its  threefold  division  of  allegro,  moderato,  and 
adagio,  has  been  clearly  marked; 

All98  three  pauses,  with  the  gopuccha  first,  have  been  brought 
out  in  due  order; 

And  the  three  styles  of  instrumental  playing — tranquil,  lively, 
and  intermediate — have  been  appropriately  shown.99  [io] 

Aranyaka.  ( Clasping  her  lute  and  rising  from  her 
seat,  looks  passionately  at  the  King.)  Teacher,  I  make 
my  obeisance. 

King.  ( With  a  smile.)  May  that  be  yours  which  I 
wish  [for  you]  ! 

Kancanamala.  ( Pointing  to  Aranyaka’s  seat.) 

Will  the  teacher  sit  down  here? 

King.  ( Sitting  down.)  Where  now  is  the  Princess 
to  sit? 

Kancanamala.  ( With  a  smile.)  The  Princess  has 
just  now  been  complimented  by  you  through  the  honor 
paid  to  her  skill,  so  she  really  deserves  a  seat  by  the 
teacher.100 

King.  Let  her  occupy  half  of  the  seat  here,  as  she 
deserves.101  Princess,  be  seated.102 

(Aranyaka  looks  at  Kancanamala.) 

Kancanamala.  (With  a  smile.)  Princess,  sit  down. 
What’s  the  harm  in  it?  You  are  certainly  a  distin¬ 
guished  pupil. 

(Aranyaka  sits  down  bashfully.) 

Vasavadatta.  ( Shocked ,103)  Madam,  you  have  overdrawn 
the  piece.  I  certainly  did  not  sit  on  the  same  seat  with  my  Lord 
at  that  time. 

King.  Princess,  I  should  like  to  hear  you  again. 

Play  your  lute. 


PRIYADARSIKA 


62 

Aranyaka.  ( sasmitam )  Kancanamale,  ciram  khu 
mama  vadaantie  parissamo  jado.  idanim  nissahaim 
angaim.  ta  na  sakkunomi  vadaidum. 

Kancanamala.  uvaj  jhaa,  sutthu  parissanta 
bhattidaria.  kavolatalabaddhasealavae  pekkha  se 
vevanti  aggahattha.  ta  samassattha  bhodu  muhut- 
taam. 

Raja.  Kancanamale,  yuktam  abhihitam.  ( hastena 
grahitum  icchati.  Aranyaka  hastam  apasarayati) 

Vasavadatta.  (sdsuyam \)  bhaavadi,  ahiam  edam  pi  tue 

kidam.  na  hu  aham  Kancanamalakavvena  vancaidavva. 

•  •  •  •  • 

Sankrtyayani.  ( vihasya )  ayusmati,  idrsam  eva  kavyam 
bhavisyati. 

Aranyaka.  ( sarosam  iva)  avehi  Kancanamale 
avehi.  na  me  bahumada  si. 

Kancanamala.  ( sasmitam )  jai  aham  citthantl 
na  bahumada  ta  esa  gacchami.  ( iti  niskranta) 

Aranyaka.  ( sasambhramam )  Kancanamale, 
cittha  cittha.  aam  se  aggahattho  samappido. 

Raja.  ( Aranyakdyd  hastam  grhitvd) 

sadyo  ’vasyayabinduvyatikarasisirah  kim  bhavet 
padmakoso 

hladitvam  na  ’sya  manye  sadrsam  idam  usasy  eva 
vltatapasya 

muncanty  ete  himaugham  nakharajanikarah  panca 
kim  so  ’pi  idahi 

jnatam  svedapadesad  aviratam  amrtam  syandate 
vyaktam  etat  [  1 1  ] 

api  ca: — • 

etena  balavidrumapallavasobhapaharadaksena 

hrdaye  mama  tvaya  ’yam  nyasto  ragah  svahastena 
[12] 


ACT  THREE 


63 


Aranyaka.  ( With  a  smile.)  Kancanamala,  from 
playing  so  long  I  have  become  tired.  My  limbs  now 
have  no  strength,  so  I  am  not  able  to  play. 

Kancanamala.  Teacher,  the  Princess  is  completely 
tired  out.  See,  the  drops  of  perspiration  stand  out  on 
her  cheeks,  and  her  fingers104  tremble.  So  let  her  rest 
for  a  moment. 

King.  Rightly  said,  Kancanamala.  ( Tries  to  take 
Aranyaka  by  the  hand.  She  withdraws  her  hand.) 

Vasavadatta.  ( Indignantly .)  Madam,  this  also  has  been 
overdrawn  by  you.  I  am  not  by  any  means  to  be  deceived  by 
Kancanamala’s  artifice. 

Sankrtyayani.  (Laughing .)  Your  Highness,  poetic  art  must 
always  be  like  this. 

Aranyaka.  (As  if  angry.)  Go  away,  Kancana¬ 
mala,  go  away.  I  don’t  care  for  you. 

Kancanamala.  (With  a  smile.)  If  you  don’t  care 
for  me  when  I  stay,  then  here  I  go.  (Exit.) 

Aranyaka.  (In  confusion.)  Kancanamala,  stay, 
stay!  His  hand  is  touching  me. 

King.  (Taking  Aranyaka’s  hand.) 

Could  it  be  the  lotus  bud,105  suddenly  cooled  through  contact 
with  the  dewdrops? 

Not  such  as  this,  methinks,  is  its  joy  at  dawn  when  the  heat 
of  the  sun  is  absent. 

These  five  moonlike  fingernails  diffuse  a  shower  of  snow; 
can  that  also  burn? 

Ambrosia,  recognized  under  the  guise  of  perspiration,  it  is 
plain,  flows  without  ceasing.106  [11] 

And  again : — 

With  this  hand  of  yours,  skilled  in  robbing107  the  young  coral 
branch  of  its  beauty, 

You  have  implanted  this  passion  in  my  heart.108  [12] 


64 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Aranyaka.  ( sparsavisesam  ndtayanty  atmagatam)  haddhl 
haddhl.  edam  Manoramam  pharisantie  anattham  jewa  me 
angaim  karenti. 

Vasavadatta.  ( sahaso  ’tthaya)  bhaavadi,  pekkha  tumam. 
aham  una  aliam  na  paremi  pekkhidum. 

Sarikrtyayani.  rajaputri,  dharmasastravihita  esa  gan- 
dharvo  vivahah.  kim  atra  lajjasthanam.  preksaniyakam  idam. 
tan  na  yuktam  asthane  rasabhangam  krtva  gantum. 


(  V asavadatta  parikramati ) 

Indivarika.  ( vilokya )  bhattini,  Vasantao  cittasaladu- 
vare  pasutto  citthadi. 

Vasavadatta.  ( nirupya )  Vasantao  jjevva  eso.  ( vicintya ) 
ranna  vi  ettha  hodavvam.  ta  bodhavia  pucchissam  dava  nam. 

( prabodhayati ) 

Vidusakah.  ( nidrajadam  utthdya  sahasd  vilokya )  Mano- 

rame,  kim  naccia  aado  piavaasso,  adha  va  naccadi  jjevva. 

Vasavadatta.  ( savisadam )  kadham  ajjaiitto  naccadi. 

Manorama  danim  kahim. 

•  •  •  • 

Vidusakah.  esa  cittasalae  citthadi. 

•  •  •  • 

Manorama.  (sab  hay  am  atmagatam)  kadham  annadha 
jewa  hiae  kadua  devie  mantidam,  edena  vi  mukkhabaduena 
annadha  jewa  buddhia  savvam  aulikidam. 

Vasavadatta.  (sarosam  hasanti)  sahu  Manorame  sahu. 
sohanam  tue  naccidam. 

M  anorama.  (sab  hay  am  kampamdnd  padayor  nipatya) 

bhattini,  na  hu  aham  ettha  avarajjhami.  edena  kkhu  hadasena 
balado  alamkaranaim  genhia  duvaratthidena  idha  niruddha. 
na  una  maha  akkandantie  saddo  mukkhanigghosantarido  kena 
vi  sudo. 

Vasavadatta.  hanje,  utthehi.  janidam  sawam.  Va- 

santao  kkhu  Aranniavuttantanadae  suttadharo. 

•  •  •  • 

Vidusakah.  saam  jewa  cintehi  kahim  Arannia  kahim 
•  ••*/  •••  • 

Vasantao  tti. 


ACT  THREE 


65 


Aranyaka.  ( Indicating  a  peculiar  sensation  of  touch , 
aside.109)  Oh,  oh!  As  I  touch  Manorama  here,  my  limbs  feel 
a  strange  thrill.110 

Vasavadatta.  {Suddenly  rising.)  Madam!  You  may  look, 
but  as  for  myself,  I  can’t  bear  to  watch  this  false  representation. 

Sankrtyayani.  Princess,  this  is  the  Gandharva  form  of  mar¬ 
riage111  sanctioned  by  the  Law  Books.  What  reason  is  there  to 
be  shocked  at  it?  This  is  a  play;  so  it  is  not  proper  to  go  at  the 
wrong  moment  and  break  up  the  enjoyment. 

(Vasavadatta  walks  about.) 

IndIvarika.  ( Looking  around.)  Your  Highness,  Vasantaka 
is  lying  asleep  at  the  door  of  the  picture-gallery.112 

Vasavadatta.  ( Looking  closely.)  This  is  indeed  Vasantaka. 
( Reflecting .)  The  King  also  must  be  here.  So,  then,  I’ll  wake 
him  and  ask  him.  ( She  wakes  him.) 

Jester.  ( Rising ,  heavy  with  sleep,  and  looking  around  sud¬ 
denly.)  Manorama,  has  my  friend  come  back  from  acting,  or  is 
he  acting  still  ? 

Vasavadatta.  ( In  dismay.)  What!  is  my  Lord  acting? 
Where  then  is  Manorama? 

Jester.  She’s  here  in  the  picture-gallery. 

Manorama.  ( In  fright,  aside.)  What!  did  the  Queen  speak, 
meaning  it  in  one  way,  and  this  fool  of  a  fellow  understand  it  in 
another  and  spoil  the  whole  thing? 

Vasavadatta.  {Smiling  angrily.)  Bravo,  Manorama,  bravo ! 
Splendidly  acted  by  you  !113 

Manorama.  {Trembling  with  fright  and  falling  at  her  feet.) 
Your  Highness,  I’m  not  to  blame  in  this.  This  rascal  took  away 
the  ornaments  by  force,  shut  me  up  here,  and  stayed  at  the  door. 
I  cried  out,  but  the  sound  was  not  heard  by  anybody,  as  it  was 
drowned  by  the  fool’s  noise.114 

Vasavadatta.  Girl,  stand  up!  I  know  it  all.  Vasantaka’s 
the  stage-manager  in  the  play  The  Adventure  of  Aranyaka. 

Jester.  Just  stop  to  think.  What  has  Vasantaka  to  do  with 
Aranyaka  ?115 


12 


66 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Vasavadatta.  Manorame,  sugahidam  kadua  nam  aaccha. 
java  pekkhamam  se  pekkhami. 

Manorama.  ( svagatam )  idanim  samassasida  mhi. 
( Vidusakam  kare  badhnati. — prakdsam)  hadasa,  idanim  anu- 
bhava  attano  dunnaassa  phalam. 

Vasavadatta.  ( sasambhramam  upasrtya )  ajjaiitta,  padi- 
hadam  edam  amangalam.  (iti  padayor  mlotpaladama  ' panayanti 
sotprdsam )  marisadu  ajjaiitto  jam  Manorama  tti  kadua  niluppa- 
ladamaena  bandhavido  si. 


( Ar  any  aka  sab  hay  am  apasrtya  tisthati) 

Raja.  ( sahaso  ' tthdya  Vidusakam  Manoramdm  ca  drstva 
’ tmagatam )  katham  vijnato  ’smi  devya.  ( vailaksyam  ndtayati ) 

Sankrtyayani.  ( sarvan  avalokya  sasmitam)  katham 
anyad  eve  ’dam  preksaniyakam  samvrttam.  abhumir  iyam 
asmadvidhanam.  (iti  niskrdnta) 

Raja.  ( svagatam )  apurvo  ’yam  kopaprakarah.  durlabham 
atra  ’nunayam  pasyami.  ( vicintya )  evam  tavat  karisye. 
(prakdsam)  devi,  tyajyatam  kopah. 

Vasavadatta.  ajjaiitta,  ko  ettha  kuvido. 

Raja,  katham  na  kupita  ’si. 

snigdham  yady  api  viksitam  nayanayos  tamra  tatha  ’pi  dyutir 
madhurye  ’pi  sati  skhalaty  anupadam  te  gadgada  vag  iyam 
nisvasa  niyata  api  stanabharotkampena  samlaksitah 
kopas  te  prakataprayatnavidhrto  ’py  esa  sphutam  laksyate 

[13] 

(padayor  nipatya)  prasida  praslda. 

Vasavadatta.  Arannie,  tumam  kuvida  tti  sambhavaanto 
ajjaiitto  pie  pasida  tti  pasadaadi.  ta  uvasappa.  (iti  hastend 
* karsati ) 


ACT  THREE 


6  7 


Vasavadatta.  Manorama,  bind  him  securely  and  come  here 
[with  him],  so  that  I  may  see  the  spectacle  he  presents.116 

Manorama.  ( Aside .)  Now  I  breathe  again!  ( Binds  the 
Jester  by  the  hand. — Aloud.)  You  rascal!  Now  reap  the  fruit 
of  your  own  misbehavior ! 

Vasavadatta.  ( In  agitation,  approaching  [the  King].)  My 
Lord,  may  this  evil  omen  be  averted!117  ( With  these  words  she 
removes  the  chain  of  blue  water-lilies  from  his  feet;  ironically.) 
Pardon  me,  my  Lord,  that  you  were  bound  with  the  chain  of  blue 
lilies  under  the  impression  that  it  was  Manorama. 

(Aranyaka  moves  away  in  fright  and  stands  still.) 

King.  ( Rising  suddenly  and  seeing  the  Jester  and  Mano¬ 
rama;  aside.)  What!  am  I  recognized  by  the  Queen?  ( Acts 
as  if  embarrassed.) 

Sankrtyayani.  ( Looking  at  them  all ;  zuith  a  smile.)  Why! 
This  play  has  turned  out  to  be  quite  something  else.  This  is  no 
place  for  persons  of  our  position.  {Exit.) 

King.  (Aside.)  This  sort  of  anger  is  unprecedented.  I  see 
that  a  reconciliation  will  be  hard  to  effect  in  this  case.  (Reflect¬ 
ing.)  This  is  what  I’ll  do,  then.  (Aloud.)  My  Queen,  lay  aside 
your  anger. 

Vasavadatta.  My  Lord,  who  is  angry  here? 

King.  What!  you  are  not  angry? 

Though  the  glance  of  thine  eyes  is  loving,  still  their  gleam  is  fiery; 
Though  there  is  sweetness  in  it,  thy  trembling  voice  falters  at  every 
word; 

Thy  sighs,  though  repressed,  are  betrayed  by  thy  heaving  bosom; 
This  anger  of  thine,  though  restrained  with  manifest  effort,  is 
plainly  visible.118  [13] 

(Falling  at  her  feet.)  Pardon  me,  pardon  me! 

Vasavadatta.  Aranyaka,  my  Lord,  imagining  that  you  are 
angry,  is  trying  to  make  you  forgive  him  by  saying  ‘  Pardon  me, 
my  dear/  So  come  nearer.  ( With  these  words  she  draws  her 
nearer  by  the  hand.) 


68 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Aranyaka.  ( sabhayam )  bhattini,  na  hu  aham  kim  pi 
janami. 

Vasavadatta.  Arannie,  tumam  kadham  na  anas! 
idanim  de  sikkhavemi.  Indlvarie,  genha  nam. 

Vidusakah.  bhodi,  aj ja  komudlmahusave  tuha  cittam 
avaharidum  vaassena  pekkhanlam  anutthidam. 

Vasavadatta.  edam  tumhanam  idunnaam  pekkhia  haso 
me  jaadi. 

Raja,  devi,  alam  anyatha  vikalpitena.  pasya. 

bhrubhangaih  kriyate  lalatasasinah  kasmat  kalanko  mudha 
vatakampitabandhujivasamatam  nito  ’dharah  kim  sphuran 
madhyas  ca  ’dhikakampitastanabharena  ’yam  punah  khidyate 
kopam  muiica  tavai  ’va  cittaharanayai  ’tan  maya  kriditam 

[14] 


devi,  praslda  praslda.  ( iti  padayoh  patati) 

Vasavadatta.  hanje,  nivuttam  pekkhanaam.  ta  ehi, 
abbhantaram  jevva  pavisamha.  ( iti  niskrantd) 

*~Raja.  ( vilokya )  katham  akrtvai  ’va  prasadam  gata  devi. 

svedambhahkanabhinnabhisanatarabhrubhangam  ekam  rusa 
trasena  ’param  utplutotplutamrgavyalolanetrotpalam 
utpasyann  aham  agrato  mukham  idam  devyah  priyayas  tatha 
bhitas  co  ’tsukamanasas  ca  mahati  ksipto  ’smy  aham  samkate 

[15] 


tad  yavad  idanim  sayanlyam  gatva  devyah  prasadanopayam 
cintayami. 


(iti  niskrantah  sarve ) 

iti  trtiyo  ’nkah 


ACT  THREE 


69 


Aranyaka.  ( In  fright .)  Your  Highness,  I  don’t  know  any¬ 
thing  at  all. 

Vasavadatta.  What,  Aranyaka!  You  don’t  know  anything? 
Now  I’ll  teach  you.  Indivarika,  seize  her.119 

Jester.  Madam,  today  at  the  Kaumudl-f estival120  my  friend 
got  up  the  play  to  divert  your  thoughts.121 

Vasavadatta.  When  I  see  this  misbehavior  of  yours  I  have 
to  laugh. 

King.  My  Queen,  away  with  unfounded  suspicion!  See — 

Wherefore  is  thy  moonlike  brow  marred  without  cause  by  frowns?122 
Why  is  thy  quivering  lip  made  to  resemble  the  bandhiika- flower123 
shaken  by  the  wind? 

Thy  waist,  moreover,  is  oppressed  by  the  burden  of  thy  bosom  heav¬ 
ing  violently. 

Lay  aside  thine  anger!  This  amusement  was  devised  by  me  just 
to  divert  thy  thoughts.124  [14] 

My  Queen,  pardon,  pardon!  {He  falls  at  her  feet.) 

Vasavadatta.  Girl,  the  play’s  over.  So  come,  let’s  go  inside. 
{Exit.) 

King.  {Looking  around.)  What!  has  the  Queen  gone  with¬ 
out  granting  pardon? 

When  I  see  before  me  here  the  countenance  of  the  Queen  and  that 
of  my  beloved, 

The  one125  with  brow  contracted  by  anger  into  a  frown,  more  threat¬ 
ening  because  streaked  by  beads  of  sweat, 

The  other125  with  her  lotus  eyes  roving  through  fear,  like  those  of 
a  gazelle  bounding  again  and  again, 

I  am  placed  in  a  great  dilemma  between  fear  and  longing.136  [15] 

Now  I’ll  go  to  my  couch  and  think  out  some  means  of  gaining 
the  Queen’s  pardon.127 


{Exeunt  omnes.) 


End  of  the  Third  Act128 


CATURTHO  ’NKAH 


[Pravesakah] 

(tat ah  pravisati  Manoramd) 

Manorama.  (sodvegam)  aho  diharosada  devle.  kadham 

ettiam  kalam  baddhae  piasahie  Aranniae  uvari  anukampam  na 

genhadi.  ( sdsram )  sa  tavassinl  attano  bandhanassa  kilesena 

tadha  na  samtappadi  jadha  bhattino  damsananirasadae.  Idisam 

ca  se  dukkham  jena  ajja  jjevva  attanaam  vavadaanti  mae 

kadham  pi  nivarida.  edam  vuttantam  bhattino  nivedehi  tti 

Vasantaam  bhania  aada  mhi. 

•  • 


(tat ah  pravisati  Kahcanamdla) 

Kancanamala.  kadham  annesantle  vi  mae  bhaavadl 
Sankiccaanl  na  dittha.  ( vilokya )  ta  edam  pi  dava  Mano- 
ramam  pucchissam.  (upasrtya)  Manorame,  avi  janasi  kahim 
bhaavadl  Sankiccaani  tti. 

Manorama.  (vilokya  ’ sruni  pramrjya)  hala  Kancanamale, 

dittha.  kim  una  tae  paoanam. 

Kancanamala.  Manorame,  ajja  devie  Angaravadle  leho 

pesido.  tassim  vaide  bapphapunnanaana  didham  samtappidum 

araddha  devl.  ta  vinodananimittam  tae  bhaavadim  annesami. 

•  •  •  •  •  •  • 

Manorama.  hala,  kim  una  tassim  lehe  alihidam. 

'  •  •  •  • 

Kancanamala.  ja  mama  bhainia  sa  tuha  janani  jevva. 

tae  bhatta  Didhavamma  tado  de.  ta  tuha  kim  edam  aakkhi- 

•  •  • 

davvam.  tassa  samahio  samvaccharo  Kalingahadaena  bad- 
dhassa.  ta  na  juttam  edam  vuttantam  anittham  sunia  sami- 


7  o 


ACT  IV 


[INTRODUCTORY  SCENE] 

( Enter  Manorama.) 

Manorama.  (In  distress.)  To  think  of  the  Queen’s  long- 
continued  anger !  How  is  it  that  she  doesn’t  take  pity  on  my  dear 
friend  Aranyaka,  who  has  been  imprisoned  for  such  a  long  time  P1 
(In  tears.)  The  poor  girl  isn’t  distressed  so  much  by  the  misery 
of  her  imprisonment  as  by  the  hopelessness  of  her  seeing  the 
King.  And  so  great  is  her  wretchedness  that  I  had  great  dif¬ 
ficulty  this  very  day  in  restraining  her  as  she  was  going  to  kill 
herself.2  I’ve  just  been  telling  Vasantaka  to  report  this  occur¬ 
rence  to  the  King. 


(Enter  Kancanamala.) 

Kancanamala.  How  is  it,  though  I’ve  been  searching  for  the 
lady  Sankrtyayani,  I  haven’t  seen  her?  (Looking  around.) 
Well,  I’ll  just  ask  Manorama  here  also.  (Approaching.)  Mano¬ 
rama,  do  you  know3  where  the  lady  Sankrtyayani  is  ? 

Manorama.  (Looking  around \  wiping  away  her  tears.)  O 
Kancanamala!  I’ve  seen  her;  but  what  do  you  want  of  her? 

Kancanamala.  Manorama,  a  letter4  was  sent  today  by 
Queen  Angaravati.5  On  reading  this,  the  Queen’s  eyes  filled  with 
tears  and  she  became  greatly  distressed.  So  I’m  looking  for  the 
lady  to  have  her  cheer  the  Queen  up. 

Manorama.  But  what,  my  dear,  was  written  in  this  letter? 

Kancanamala.  This:  ‘My  sister  is  just  a  mother  to  you; 
her  husband  Drdhavarman  is  [as]  your  father6 — but  why  need  I 
tell  you  this?  For  more  than  a  year  he  has  been  kept  a  prisoner 
by  the  accursed  Kalinga.7  So  it  is  not  proper  for  your  powerful 


71 


72 


PRIYADARSIKA 


vatthidassa  samatthassa  bhattuno  de  evvam  udasinattanam 
•  •  •  •  •  •  • 

olambidum  ti. 

Manorama.  hala  Kancanamale,  jada  dava  aam  vuttanto 

bhattinle  na  kena  vi  vaidavvo  tti  bhattina  anattam  ta  kena  una 
••••  •  ••••  •  •• 

danim  so  leho  sunavido. 

•  •  * 

Kancanamala.  anuvaia  tunhimbhudae  maha  hatthado 

•  •  • 

genhia  saam  ievva  bhattinle  vaido. 

Manorama.  tena  gaccha  tumam.  esa  khu  dev!  tae  jjevva 

saha  dantavalahie  citthadi. 

•  • 

Kancanamala.  tena  hi  bhattinlsaasam  gamissam.  (iti 

niskrdntd) 

Manorama.  ciram  khu  me  Aranniasaasado  aadae. 

•  •  • 

didham  ca  nivvinna  sa  tavassinl  attano  jlvidena.  kada  i 
accahidam  bhave.  ta  tahim  jewa  gacchami.  (iti  niskrdntd) 

iti  pravesakah 


(tat ah  pravisati  sodvega  * sanasthd  Vdsavadatta  Sdhkrt - 
ydyani  vihhavatas  ca  parivarah) 

Sankrtyayani.  rajaputri,  alam  udvegena.  ne  ’drso 
Vatsarajah.  katham  itthamgatam  api  bhavatya  matrsvasr- 
patim  vijnaya  Vatsarajo  niscintam  sthasyati. 

Vasavadatta.  (sdsram)  bhaavadi,  adiujjua  danim 
tumam.  jassa  mae  na  kaiiam  tassa  mamakeraena  kim  kaiiam. 
ajjuae  juttam  mama  edam  alihidum.  sa  una  na  anadi  ajja 

•/•i  •/  •  •  •  •  •  •  •/•/ 

tarisi  na  Vasavadatta  tti.  tuha  una  eso  Aranniae  vuttanto 
•  •  •  • 

paccakkho.  ta  kadham  edam  bhanasi. 

Sankrtyayani.  yata  eva  me  pratyaksas  tata  eva  bra- 
vimi.  tena  nanu  kaumudimahotsave  tvam  hasayitum  tatha 
kriditam. 

Vasavadatta.  bhaavadi,  edam  ettha  saccam.  tadha 

*  •  • 

hasida  mhi  jena  bhaavadie  purado  lajjae  kadham  pi  citthami. 


ACT  FOUR 


73 


husband,  who  is  close  at  hand,  to  remain  thus  indifferent  after 
hearing  of  this  unfortunate  event/ 

Manorama.  But,  Kancanamala  dear,  who  then  read  this  letter 
aloud,  when  the  King  gave  orders  that  this  matter  should  not  be 
read  to  the  Queen  by  any  one  ? 

Kancanamala.  While  I  was  reading  it  over  to  myself  in  si¬ 
lence,  the  Queen  snatched  it  from  my  hand  and  read  it  herself. 

Manorama.  Therefore  go;  the  Queen’s  right  here  with  the 
lady,  in  the  ivory  tower. 

Kancanamala.  Then  I  shall  go  to  the  Queen.  ( Exit .) 

Manorama.  It’s  a  long  time  since  I  left  Aranyaka.  The  poor 
girl  is  utterly  wearied  of  her  life.  Something  dreadful  might 
happen  at  any  moment.  So  I’ll  go  directly  to  her.  (Exit.) 

End  of  the  Introductory  Scene8 


(Enter,  seated,  Vasavadatta  in  a  distressed  state  of  mind, 
Sankrtyayani,  and  the  Retinue  in  order  of  rank.) 

Sankrtyayani.  Princess,  cease  your  distress.  Vatsaraja  is 
not  that  kind  of  man.  How  can  Vatsaraja  remain  unconcerned 
when  he  knows  that  the  husband  of  your  mother’s  sister9  is  in 
such  a  plight  ? 

Vasavadatta.  (In  tears.)  Madam,  now  you  are  too  naive. 
When  he  has  nothing  to  do  with  me,  what  will  he  have  to  do  with 
mine?10  It  was  proper  for  my  mother11  to  write  this  to  me,12 
but  she  does  not  know  that  Vasavadatta  is  no  longer  such  as  she 
was.  You,  however,  witnessed  this  affair  of  Aranyaka  with  your 
own  eyes.  How,  then,  can  you  say  this  ? 

Sankrtyayani.  Just  because  I  witnessed  it  myself,  I  speak 
thus.  He  really  played  this  joke13  at  the  Kaumudi-festival  in 
order  to  make  you  laugh. 

Vasavadatta.  Madam,  that’s  the  truth  of  it;  I’ve  been  made 
so  laughed  at,14  that  I  can  hardly  stand  before  your  Ladyship  for 


74 


PRIYADARSIKA 


ta  kim  takkeraae  kadhae.  nam  edena  jjevva  pakkhavadena 
ettiam  bhumim  nida  mhi.  ( iti  roditi) 

Sankrtyayani.  alam  rajaputri  ruditena.  ne  ’drso  Vat- 
sarajah.  ( vilokya )  atha  va  prapta  eva  ’yam»  Yas  te  nianyu- 
pramarjanam  karoti. 

Vasavadatta.  manoradha  danim  ede  bhaavadle. 

•  •  • 

( tatah  pravisati  Raja  Vidusakas  ca) 

Raja,  vayasya,  ka  idanlm  abhyupayah  priyam  mocayitum. 

Vidusakah.  bho  vaassa,  munca  visadam.  aham  de 

uvaam  kadhaissam. 

•  • 

Raja.  ( saharsam )  vayasya,  tvaritataram  abhidhlyatam. 
Vidusakah.  bho,  tumam  dava  aneasamarasamghattappa- 
havabahusali  puno  vi  aneagaaturaapaikkaduvvisahabalasam- 
udido.  ta  savvabalasamdohena  anteuram  supididam  kadua 

idanim  jevva  Aranniam  moavehi. 

Raja,  vayasya,  asakyam  upadistam. 

Vidusakah.  kim  ettha  asakkam,  jado  dava  kujjavamana- 
vuddhakancuivajjido  manusso  avaro  natthi  tahim. 

Raja.  ( sdvajnam )  murkha,  kim  asambaddham  pralapasi. 
devyah  prasadam  muktva  na  Jnyas  tasya  moksanabhyupayah. 
tat  kathaya  katham  devlm  prasadayami. 

Vidusakah.  bho,  masovavasam  kadua  jividam  dharehi. 
evvam  devl  candl  pasidissadi. 

Raja.  ( vihasya )  alam  parihasena.  kathaya  katham  devlm 
prasadayami. 

dhrstah  kim  purato  ’varudhya  vihasan  grhnami  kanthe 
priyam 

kim  va  catusataprapancaracanapritam  karisyami  tarn 
kim  tisthami  krtaiijalir  nipatito  devyah  purah  padayoh 
satyam  satyam  aho  na  vedmy  anunayo  devyah  katham  syad 
iti  [i] 


ACT  FOUR 


75 


shame.  So,  what’s  the  use  of  such  talk?  I’ve  been  reduced  to 
this  state,  in  fact,  just  by  this  fondness.  (Weeps.) 

Sankrtyayani.  Weep  no  more,  Princess!  Vatsaraja  is  not 
that  kind  of  man.  (Looking  around.)  But  here  he  is  coming 
to  dispel  your  sorrow. 

Vasavadatta.  These  are  now  [merely]  your  Ladyship’s  de¬ 
sires. 

(Enter  King  and  Jester.) 

King.  Dear  fellow,  what  way  is  there  now  of  getting  the  dear 
girl  set  free? 

Jester.  My  dear  fellow,  free  yourself15  of  dejection!  I’ll  tell 
you  the  way. 

King.  (Joyfully.)  Dear  fellow,  out  with  it — quick,  quick! 
Jester.  Sir,  you  have  two  arms  that  have  proved  their  power 
in  the  shock  of  many  a  battle ;  besides  that,  you  are  possessed  of 
an  irresistible  force  of  many  elephants,  horses,  and  foot-soldiers. 
So  lay  siege  to  the  zenana  with  the  assemblage  of  your  entire 
forces  and  set  free  Aranyaka  this  very  moment. 

King.  Dear  fellow,  what  you  have  suggested  is  impossible. 
Jester.  What’s  impossible  about  it?  For  there’s  not  a  man 
there  except  hunchbacks,  dwarfs,  and  the  old  chamberlain.16 

King.  (Contemptuously.)  You  fool!  Why  do  you  talk  non¬ 
sense?  There’s  no  other  way  of  getting  her  free  than  getting  the 
Queen’s  favor.  So  tell  me  how  I  can  get  the  Queen’s  favor. 

Jester.  Sir,  live  fasting  for  a  month.  In  that  way  the  Wrath¬ 
ful  Queen17  will  be  appeased. 

King.  (Laughing.)  Enough  of  your  jesting.  Tell  me  how 
I  am  to  appease  the  Queen. 

Shall  I  boldly  bar  the  way  before  her  and,  laughing,18  clasp  the  dear 
one  about  the  neck? 

Or  shall  I  make  her  glad  by  the  use  of  a  hundred  varied  blandish¬ 
ments  ?19 

Or  shall  I  fall  before  the  Queen’s  feet  and  remain  in  suppliant 
posture  ?20 

Truly,  truly — alas ! — I  know  not  in  what  way  to  conciliate  the 
Queen.21  [i] 


PRIYADARSIKA 


76 

tad  ehi,  devlsakasam  eva  gacchavah. 

Vidusakah.  bho,  gaccha  tumam.  aham  una  danim  jevva 
bandhanado  kadham  pi  paribbhamsia  aado  mhi.  ta  na 
gamissam. 

Raja.  ( vihasya  kanthe  grhitvd  balan  nivartayati)  murkha, 

agamyatam  agamyatam.  ( parikramyd  ’valokya  ca)  iyam  dev! 
dantavalabhimadhyam  adhyaste.  yavad  upasarpami.  ( salaj - 

jam  upasarpati ) 

( V asavadatta  sakhedam  asanad  uttisthati) 

Raja. 

kim  muktam  asanam  alam  mayi  sambhramena 
no  ’tthatum  ittham  ucitam  mama  tantamadhye 
drstiprasadavidhimatrahrto  jano  ’yam 
atyadarena  kim  iti  kriyate  vilaksah  [2] 


Vasavadatta.  ( mukham  nirupya)  ajjaiitta,  vilakkho 

danim  tumam  hosi. 

•  •  • 

Raja,  priye,  satyam  aham  vilaksah,  yat  pratyaksadrstapa- 
radho  ’pi  bhavatim  prasadayitum  vyavasito  ’smi. 

Sankrtyayani.  ( asanam  nirdisya)  maharaja,  kriyatam 
asanaparigrahah. 

Raja.  ( asanam  nirdisya)  ito  devy  upavisatu. 

( Vasavadatta  bhumdv  upavisati) 

t 

Raja,  ah  katham  bhumav  upavista  devi.  aham  apy  atrai 
’vo  ’pavisami.  (iti  bhumdv  upavisya  krtdhjalih)  priye,  praslda 
praslda.  kim  evam  pranate  ’pi  mayi  gambhlrataram  kopam 
udvahasi. 

bhrubhangam  na  karosi  rodisi  muhur  mugdheksane  kevalam 
natiprasphuritadhara  ’navaratam  nihsvasam  evo  ’jjhasi 
vacam  na  ’pi  dadasi  tisthasi  param  pradhyananamranana 
kopas  te  stimito  nipidayati  mam  gudhapraharopamah  [3] 


ACT  FOUR 


77 


So  come,  let  us  go  straight  to  the  Queen. 

Jester.  Sir,  you  may  go;  but  I’ve  only  now  escaped  with  dif¬ 
ficulty  from  confinement,  so  I’m  not  going. 

King.  ( Laughing ;  takes  him  around  the  neck  and  makes  him 
return  by  force.)  Come  along,  you  fool,  come  along!  ( Walk¬ 
ing  about  and  looking.)  Here  is  the  Queen  sitting  in  the  ivory 
tower.  I  shall  approach,  then.  ( Approaches  abashed.) 

(Vasavadatta  rises  languidly  from  her  seat.) 

King. 

Why  leave  thy  seat?  Be  not  disturbed  on  my  account. 

It  is  not  appropriate  in  my  case22  that  thou,  O  slender-waisted  one,23 
shouldst  rise  thus. 

Why  is  it  that  I24 — who  am  ravished  by  the  mere  bestowal  of  the 
favor  of  a  glance — 

Am  made  embarrassed  by  this  excessive  courtesy?25  [2] 

Vasavadatta.  ( Looking  him  in  the  face.)  My  Lord,  you  are 
embarrassed  now? 

King.  My  beloved,  truly  I  am  embarrassed;  for,  though  you 
saw  my  offence  with  your  own  eyes,  I  am  resolved  to  appease  you. 

SankrtyayanI.  ( Pointing  to  a  seat.)  Your  Majesty,  pray 
be  seated. 

King.  ( Pointing  to  a  seat.)  Let  the  Queen  sit  here. 

(Vasavadatta  seats  herself  upon  the  ground.) 

King.  What !  the  Queen  seated  on  the  ground !  I’ll  sit  down 
there  also.  ( Seating  himself  upon  the  ground;  making  an  obei¬ 
sance.26)  Pardon  me,  my  beloved,  pardon  me!  Why  do  you 
display  still  deeper  anger,  though  I  am  thus  bowed  before  you? 

Ah,  thou  whose  glance  is  lovely,  thou  dost  not  knit  thy  brow;  thou 
only  weepest  ever ! 

Thy  lip  quivereth  not  over-much;  yet  thou  heavest  sighs  incessantly; 
Thou  utterest  not  one  word,  but  remainest  with  face  bowed  in 
thought ; 

Thy  rigid  anger  pains  me  like  a  hidden  wound.27  [3] 


78  PRIYADARSIKA 

priye,  praslda  prasida.  (iti  padayoh  patati) 


Vasavadatta.  adisuhido  nam  si.  kim  danim  dukkhidam 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

janam  viaresi.  utthehi.  ko  ettha  kuvido. 

Sankrtyayanl.  uttistha  maharaja,  kim  anena.  anyad 
eva  tavad  udvegakaranam  asyah. 

Raja.  ( sasambhramam )  bhagavati,  kim  anyat. 

( Sankrtyayanl  karne  kathayati ) 

Raja.  ( vihasya )  yady  evam  alam  udvegena.  maya  ’pi 
jnatam.  siddha  eva  ’smin  prayojane  devim  distya  vardhayi- 
syami  ’ti  no  ’ktam.  anyatha  katham  aham  Drdhavarmavrt- 
tante  visrabdhas  tisthami.  tat  katipayany  ahani  tadvarttaya 
agatayah.  idam  ca  tatra  vartate. 


asmadbalair  Vijayasenapurahsarais  tair 
akrantabahyavisayo  vihatapratapah 
durgam  Kalihgahatakah  sahasa  pravisya 
prakaramatrasarano  ’saranah  krto  ’sau  [4] 

tadavastham  ca  tarn 
•  • 

nirdistakrantamandam  pratidinaviramadvlradaseravrttam 
sadhvamsam  slryamanadvipaturaganaraksinanihsesasainyam 
adya  svo  va  vibhagne  jhatiti  mama  balaih  sarvatas  tatra 
durge 

baddham  yuddhe  hatam  va  bhagavati  nacirac  chrosyasi  tvam 
Kalingam  [5] 


Sankrtyayanl.  rajaputri,  prathamataram  eva  bhavatyah 
kathitam  maya  katham  apratividhaya  Vatsarajah  sthasyati  ’ti. 
Vasavadatta.  jai  evvam  piam  me. 


ACT  FOUR 


79 


Pardon  me,  my  beloved,  pardon  me!  ( With  these  words  he  falls 
at  her  feet.) 

Vasavadatta.  You  are  surely  very  happy.  Why,  then,  tor¬ 
ment  an  unhappy  creature  ?  Arise !  Who  is  angry  here  ? 

Sankrtyayani.  Arise,  Your  Majesty!  What  is  the  use  of 
this?  Something  quite  different,  indeed,  is  the  cause  of  her  dis¬ 
tress. 

King.  (Hastily.)  Good  madam,  what  else  is  it? 

(Sankrtyayani  whispers  in  his  ear.28) 

King.  (Laughing.)  If  so,  no  more  distress !  I  knew  it  also, 
but  I  did  not  tell,  thinking  that  I  should  congratulate29  the  Queen 
when  this  undertaking  had  been  actually  accomplished.  Other¬ 
wise,  how  could  I  remain  unconcerned  in  the  affair  of  Drdhavar- 
man  ?  Well,  it  is  several  days  since  news  about  him  arrived ;  and 
this  is  what  took  place. 

Led  by  Vijayasena,  our  armies  invaded  the  frontier  region 
And  destroyed  the  glory  of  the  accursed  Kalihga, 

Who  suddenly  withdrew  to  his  fortress30 

And,  with  a  rampart  as  his  sole  defense,  has  been  made  defense¬ 
less.31  [4] 

And,  he  being  in  such  a  plight,32 

Crippled  by  the  invasion  described,  and  with  the  activity  of  his 
slavish  warriors33  decreasing  day  by  day, 

With  ruin  impending,  with  his  elephants,  horses,  and  men  being- 
destroyed,  and  his  entire  army  depleted, 

When  his  fortress  there  shall  have  been  breached  on  all  sides  in  a 
twinkling,  today  or  tomorrow,  by  my  forces, 

You  will  hear  before  long,  my  Lady,  that  Kalihga  has  been  captured 

or  slain  in  battle.34  [5] 

Sankrtyayani.  Princess,  I  said  to  you  at  the  very  outset, 
4  How  will  Vatsaraja  rest  without  making  a  counterstroke  ? 535 
Vasavadatta.  If  so,  I  am  glad. 


8o 


PRIYADARSIKA 


( pravisya  Pratihari) 

Pratihari.  jedu  jedu  bhatta.  eso  kkhu  Vijaaseno  Didha- 

vammakancuisahido  harisasamupphullaloano  piam  nivedidu- 

kamo  duvare  citthadi. 

•  • 

Vasavadatta.  ( sasmitam )  bhaavadi,  jadha  takkemi 

paritosida  mhi  ajjaiittena  tti. 

Sankrtyayani.  Vatsarajapaksapatinl  khalv  aham  na 
kim  cid  api  bravimi. 

Raja,  sighram  pravesaya  tau. 

Pratihari.  tadha.  (iti  niskranta) 

( tat  ah  pravisati  Vijayasenah  Kancukl  ca) 

Vijayasenah.  bhoh  kancukin,  adya  svamipada  idra- 
stavya  iti  yatsatyam  anupamam  kam  api  sukhatisayam 
anubhavami. 

Kancuki.  Vijayasena,  avitatham  etat.  pasya. 

sukhanirbharo  ’nyatha  ’pi  svaminam  avalokya  bhavati 
bhrtyajanah 

kim  punar  aribalavighatananirvyudhaprabhuniyogabharah 

[6] 

Ubhau.  ( upasrtya )  jayatu  jayatu  svami. 

( Rdjo  ’bhav  api  parisvajate) 

Kancuki.  deva,  distya  vardhase. 

hatva  Kalingahatakam  hy  asmatsvami  nivesito  rajye 
devasya  samadesad  ripujayina  Vijayasenena  [7] 


Vasavadatta.  ai  bhaavadi,  ahijanasi  edam  kancuinam. 

Sankrtyayani.  katham  na  ’bhijanami.  nanu  sa  esa 
yasya  haste  matrsvasa  te  pattrikam  anupresitavatl. 

Raja,  sadhu.  Vijayasenena  mahavyaparo  ’nusthitah. 


ACT  FOUR 


81 


( Enter  Portress.) 

Portress.  Hail,  hail  to  Your  Majesty!  Here  at  the  door 
stands  Vijayasena,  accompanied  by  the  chamberlain  of  Drdhavar- 
man,  with  his  eyes  beaming  with  joy  and  eager  to  announce  good 
tidings. 

Vasavadatta.  ( With  a  smile.)  Good  madam,  as  I  regard 
it,  my  Lord  has  completely  satisfied  me. 

Sankrtyayani.  Being  partial  to  Vatsaraja,  I  say  nothing  at 

all. 

King.  Have  them  enter  at  once. 

Portress.  It  shall  be  done.  (Exit.) 

( Enter  Vijayasena  and  the  Chamberlain.36) 

Vijayasena.  Sir  Chamberlain,  in  truth  I  feel  a  kind  of  ecstatic 
joy,  beyond  compare,  at  the  thought  of  seeing  my  master  today. 
Chamberlain.  Vijayasena,  that  is  undeniable.  For — 

Even  under  other  circumstances  a  servitor  is  filled  with  joy  at 
beholding  his  master, 

But  how  much  more  when  he  has  fulfilled  his  lord’s  command  by 
annihilating  the  army  of  his  enemy.37  [6] 

Both.  (Approaching.)  Hail,  hail  to  our  master! 

(The  King  embraces  them  both.) 

Chamberlain.  Your  Majesty,  you  are  to  be  congratulated.38 

For  Vijayasena,  vanquishing  the  foe,39  has,  at  Your  Majesty’s  com¬ 
mand, 

Slain  the  accursed  Kalinga  and  restored  my  master  to  his  king¬ 
dom.40  [7] 

Vasavadatta.  O  good  madam,  do  you  recognize  this  cham¬ 
berlain  ? 

Sankrtyayani.  Why  should  I  not  recognize  him  ?  He  is  the 
very  one  in  whose  care  your  mother's  sister41  forwarded  the  let¬ 
ter.42 

King.  Bravo!  Vijayasena  has  accomplished  a  great  feat! 


13 


82 


PRIYADARSIKA 


(  Vijayasenah  padayoh  patati ) 

Raja,  devi,  distya  vardhase.  pratisthito  rajye  Drdha- 
varma. 

Vasavadatta.  ( saharsam )  anuggahida  mhi. 

Vidusakah.  Idise  abbhudae  assim  raaiile  edam  karaniam. 
•  •  •  •  •  • 

(Raj mam  nirdisya  vinavadanam  ndtayan)  gurupua.  (dtmano 
yajnopavltam  darsayan)  bamhanassa  sakkaro.  (Aranyakdm 
sucayan)  savvabandhanamokkho  tti. 

Raja.  ( Vasavadattam  apavdrya  chotikam  dadat)  sadhu 
vayasya  sadhu. 

Vidusakah.  bhodi,  kadham  tumam  na  kim  pi  ettha 
samadisasi. 

Vas  avadatta.  (Sankrtyayariim  avalokya  sasmitam) 

moida  khu  hadasena  Arannia. 

•  •  • 

Sankrtyayani.  kim  va  tapasvinya  ’naya  baddhaya. 

Vasavadatta.  jadha  bhaavadle  roadi. 

Sankrtyayani.  yady  evam  aham  eva  gatva  tam  mocayi- 
syami.  (iti  niskrdntd) 

Kaiicuki.  idam  aparam  samdistam  maharajena  Drdha- 
varmana:  tvatprasadat  sarvam  eva  yathabhilasitam  sampan- 
nam.  tad  ete  pranas  tvadiyah.  yathestam  iman  viniyoktum 
tvam  eva  pramanam. 

(Rdjd  salajjam  adhomukhas  tisthati) 

Vijayasenah.  deva,  na  sakyam  eva  devam  prati  priti- 
visesam  Drdhavarmanah  kathayitum. 

Kancuki.  yady  api  tubhyam  pratipaditayah  Priyadarsi- 
kaya  asmadduhituh  paribhramsan  na  me  sambandho  jata  iti 
duhkham  asit  tatha  ’pi  Vasavadattayah  parinetra  ’pi  tvaya  tad 
apanitam  eva. 

Vas  avadatta.  (sasram)  ajja  kancui,  kadham  me  bhaini 
paribbhattha. 


ACT  FOUR 


83 


(Vijayasena  falls  at  his  feet.) 

King.  My  Queen,  you  are  to  be  congratulated!  Drdhavar- 
man  has  been  restored  to  his  kingdom. 

Vasavadatta.  {Joyfully.)  I  am  deeply  gratified. 

Jester.  At  a  time  of  such  rejoicing  in  the  royal  family  this 
is  the  thing  to  be  done: — {pointing  to  the  King  and  imitating 
playing  on  the  lute)  honor  to  the  teacher43;  {showing  his  own 
sacrificial  cord)  hospitality  to  a  Brahman;  {alluding  to  Aran- 
yaka)  release  of  all  prisoners.44 

King.  {Snapping  his  fingers 45  without  letting  Vasavadatta 
see.46)  Bravo,  dear  fellow,  bravo! 

Jester.  Madam,  why  don’t  you  give  some  order  about  it? 

Vasavadatta.  {Looking  at  SankrtyayanI,  with  a  smile.) 
Aranyaka  is  as  good  as  released47  by  the  rascal. 

SankrtyayanI.  What  possible  good  is  there  in  keeping  the 
poor  girl  in  prison? 

Vasavadatta.  As  pleases  your  Ladyship. 

SankrtyayanI.  If  so,  I  myself  will  go  and  have  her  set  free. 
{Exit.) 

Chamberlain.  This  message,  besides,  has  been  sent  by  King 
Drdhavarman :  *  By  your  grace  everything  has  turned  out  after 
my  own  heart.  Therefore  my  life  is  yours.  You  have  the  right 
to  do  with  it  as  you  please.’ 

{The  King  modestly  stands  with  bowed  head.) 

Vijayasena.  Your  Majesty,  it  is  altogether  impossible  to  ex¬ 
press  Drdhavarman’s  extreme  devotion  to  you. 

Chamberlain.  [Continuing  the  message.48]  ‘Even  though 
it  was  a  misfortune  that  no  alliance  between  us  came  about,49  in 
consequence  of  the  loss  of  my  daughter  Priyadarsika  who  was 
affianced  to  you,  nevertheless  this  has  been  altogether  removed  by 
your  marriage50  with  Vasavadatta.’ 

Vasavadatta.  {In  tears.)  Worthy  Chamberlain,  how  did 
my  cousin  disappear?51 


84 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Kancuki.  rajaputri,  tasmin  Kalingahatakavaskande  vi- 
drutesv  itas  tato  ’ntahpurajanesu  distya  drstam  idanlm  na 
yuktam  atra  sthatum  iti  tam  aham  grhltva  Vatsarajantikam 
prasthitah.  tatah  samcintya  tam  Vindhyaketor  haste  niksipya 
nirgato  ’smi.  yavat  pratlpam  agacchami  tavat  kair  api  tat 
sthanam  saha  Vindhyaketuna  smartavyatam  nltam. 


Raja.  ( sasmitam )  Vijayasena,  kim  kathayasi. 

Kancuki.  tatra  ca  ^visyata  maya  na  prapta.  tadapra- 
bhrti  na  ’dya  ’pi  vijnayate  kva  vartata  iti. 

( pravisya  Manor amd) 

Manorama.  bhattini,  panasamsae  vattadi  sa  tavassinl. 

Vasavadatta.  (sdsram)  kim  una  tumam  Piadamsana- 
vuttantam  janasi. 

Manorama.  na  hu  aham  Piadamsanavuttantam  janami. 

•  •  •  •  •  «/  • 

esa  khu  Arannia  kallavvavadesena  anidam  visam  paia  pana- 
samsae  vattadi  tti  evvam  mae  nivedidam.  ta  parittaadu 
bhattini.  ( rudatl  padayoh  patati ) 

Vasavadatta.  ( svagatam )  haddhl  haddhi.  Piadamsa- 

nadukkham  pi  me  antaridam  Aranniavuttantena.  adidujjano 

kkhu  loo.  kada  i  mam  annadha  sambhavalssadi.  ta  edam 

•  •  •  • 

ettha  juttam.  ( prakasam  sasambhramam)  Manorame,  lahu 
idha  jjevva  anehi  tam.  naaloado  gahidavisavijjo  ajjaiitto  ettha 
kusalo. 


( niskranta  Manorama) 


( tatah  pravisati  Manoramaya  dhrta  savisavegam 
dtmdnam  ndtayanty  Aranyakd) 

Aranyaka.  hala  Manorame,  klsa  danim  mam  andhaaram 
pavesesi. 


ACT  FOUR 


85 


Chamberlain.  Princess,  during  the  onslaught  by  the  accursed 
Kalinga,  when  the  inmates  of  the  zenana  had  fled  hither  and 
thither,  I  fortunately  chanced  to  see  her,  and,  thinking  that  it  was 
no  longer  advisable  for  her  to  remain  there,  I  took  her  and 
started  to  go  to  the  presence  of  Vatsaraja.  Then,  upon  further 
reflection,  I  put  her  in  the  care  of  Vindhyaketu  and  went  away. 
When  I  came  back  I  found  that  some  foes  had  made  that  place, 
as  well  as  Vindhyaketu,  a  matter  of  the  past.52 

King.  ( With  a  smile.)  Vijayasena,  what  have  you  to  say? 

Chamberlain.  And  I  searched  for  her  there,  but  could  not 
find  her.  From  that  day  to  this  no  one  knows  where  she  is. 

{Enter  Manorama.) 

Manorama.  Your  Highness,  the  poor  girl  is  at  the  point  of 
death  !53 

Vasavadatta.  {In  tears.)  But  do  you  know  the  fate  of 
Priyadarsana  ?54 

Manorama.  I  certainly  do  not  know  the  fate  of  Priyadar¬ 
sana,  but  Aranyaka  here  has  drunk  poison,  brought  to  her  under 
the  guise  of  wine,  and  is  at  the  point  of  death.  That  is  what  I 
have  reported.  So  save  her,  Your  Highness !  {Falls  at  her  feet, 

weeping.) 

Vasavadatta.  {Aside.)  Alas,  alas!  This  affair  of  Aran¬ 
yaka  overshadows  even  my  sorrow  for  Priyadarsana.  The  world 
is  very  malicious.  Perhaps  it  will  judge  me  wrongly.  So  this  is 
the  thing  to  do.  {Aloud,  agitatedly.)  Manorama,  bring  her 
here  immediately.  The  King  is  expert  in  this  matter,  having  ac¬ 
quired  knowledge  of  poisons  in  the  world  of  the  Nagas.55 

{Exit  Manorama.) 

{Enter  Aranyaka,  supported  by  Manorama,  and  ex¬ 
hibiting  the  symptoms  of  poisoning.) 

Aranyaka.  O  Manorama,  why  are  you  now  leading  me  into 
the  dark? 


86 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Manorama.  ( savisadam )  haddhl  haddhi.  ditthi  vi  se 
samkanta  visena  jjevva.  ( Vasavadattdm  drstva)  bhattini, 
lahu  parittaehi  lahu  parittaehi.  garuibhudam  se  visam. 

Vasavadatta.  ( sasam b hramarn  Rdjanam  haste  grhitvd) 

ajjaiitta,  utthehi  utthehi.  lahu  vivajjadi  kkhu  esa  tavassini. 

( sarve  posy  anti) 

Kancuki.  ( vilokya )  susadrsi  khalv  iyam  mama  rajapu- 
tryah  Priyadarsanayah.  ( Vasavadattdm  nirdisya)  rajaputri, 
kuta  iyam  kanyaka. 

Vasavadatta.  ajja,  Vinjhakeduno  duhida.  tarn  vavadia 
Vijaasenena  anida. 

Kancuki.  kutas  tasya  duhita.  sai  ’ve  ’yam  mama  raja¬ 
putri.  ha  hato  ’smi  mandabhagyah.  (iti  nipatya  hhumdv 
utthdya )  rajaputri,  iyam  sa  Priyadarsika  bhaginl  te. 

Vasavadatta.  ajjaiitta,  parittaehi  parittaehi.  mama 
bhainl  vivajjadi. 

Raja,  samasvasihi  samasvasihi.  pasyamas  tavat.  ( sva - 
qatam)  kastam  bhoh  kastam. 

samjatasandramakarandarasam  kramena 
patum  gatas  ca  kalikam  kamalasya  bhrhgah 
dagdha  nipatya  sahasai  ’va  himena  cai  ’sa 
vame  vidhau  na  hi  phalanty  abhivanchitani  [8] 

( prakdsam )  Manorame,  prcchyatam  tavat  kim  te  bodha  iti. 

Manorama.  sahi,  kim  de  bodho.  ( sdsram  punas  cala- 
yanti)  sahi,  nam  bhanami  kim  de  bodho  tti. 

Priyadarsika.  ( avispastam )  nam  edae  vi  na  mae 

maharao  dittho  ( ity  ardhokte  bhumau  patati ) 

Raja.  ( sdsram  svagatam) 

esa  mllayatl  ’dam  Iksanayugam  jata  mama  ’ndha  disah 
kantho  ’syah  pratirudhyate  mama  giro  niryanti  krcchrad 
imah 

etasyah  svasitam  hrtam  mama  tanur  niscestatam  agata 
manye  ’sya  visavega  eva  hi  param  sarvam  tu  duhkham  mama 
[9] 


ACT  FOUR 


87 


Manorama.  ( In  despair.)  Alas,  alas!  Her  sight,  too,  is 
affected  by  the  poison!  ( Looking  at  Vasavadatta.)  Your 
Highness,  quick,  quick!  Save  her,  save  her!  The  poison  has 
overcome  her. 

Vasavadatta.  ( Agitatedly ,  taking  the  King  by  the  hand.) 
My  Lord,  come,  come!  The  poor  girl’s  sinking  rapidly.  ( All 
look.) 

Chamberlain.  ( Looking  closely.)  She  certainly  looks  ex¬ 
ceedingly  like  Priyadarsana,  the  daughter  of  my  king.  ( Ad¬ 
dressing  Vasavadatta.)  Princess,  whence  comes  this  maiden? 

Vasavadatta.  Worthy  sir,  she’s  the  daughter  of  Vindhya- 
ketu.  She  was  brought  here  by  Vijayasena,  who  had  slain  him. 

Chamberlain.  How56  his  daughter?  She  is  the  daughter  of 
my  king.  Alas,  I  am  undone,  unfortunate  man  that  I  am !  ( Falls 

on  the  ground. — Rising.)  Princess,  this  is  Priyadarsika,  your 
cousin. 

Vasavadatta.  My  Lord,  save  her,  save  her!  My  cousin  is 
dying. 

King.  Take  heart,  take  heart!  Let  us  see  now.  (Aside.67) 
Alas,  oh,  alas! 

The  bee  in  its  course  went  to  sip  the  lotus-bud, 

Sweet  with  the  rich  nectar  that  it  distils, 

But58  it  was  blasted  by  a  frost  that  had  suddenly  fallen  upon  it! 
When  Fate  is  adverse,  wishes  bear  no  fruit.59  [8] 

(Aloud.67)  Manorama,  ask  her  now  whether  she  is  conscious. 

Manorama.  My  dear,  are  you  conscious?  (In  tears ,  shaking 
her  again.)  My  dear,  I  am  asking  whether  you  are  conscious. 

Priyadarsika.  (Indistinctly.)  Indeed,  the  King  was  seen  by 
her,60  not  by  me — (With  the  sentence  half  spoken ,  she  falls  to  the 
ground.) 

King.  (In  tears ;  aside.61) 

She  closes  these  two  eyes  of  hers — the  heavens  grow  dark  to  me; 
Her  throat  is  choked — my  words  come  forth  with  difficulty; 

Her  breath  has  ceased — my  body  has  become  paralyzed; 

On  her,  methinks,  indeed,  the  poison  fully  takes  effect62 — but  mine 
is  all  the  anguish.63  [9] 


88 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Vasavadatta.  (sasram)  Piadamsane,  utthehi  utthehi. 
pekkha,  eso  maharao  citthadi.  kadham  veana  vi  se  nattha. 
kim  danim  mae  avaraddham  aanantle  jena  kuvida  na  ’lavasi. 
ta  paslda  paslda.  utthehi  utthehi.  na  hu  puno  avarajjhissam. 
( urdhvam  avalokya)  ha  devvahadaa,  kim  danim  mae  avakidam 
jena  edavattham  gada  me  bhaini  adamsida.*  ( Priyadarsikaya 
up  an  patati) 

Vidusakah.  bho  vaassa,  kadham  tumam  mudho  via 
citthasi.  na  eso  visadassa  kalo.  visama  khu  gadi  visassa.  ta 
damsehi  attano  vijjapahavam. 

Raja,  satyam  evai  ’tat.  ( Priyadarsikam  alokya)  mudha 
eva  ’ham  etavatim  velam.  tad  aham  enam  jivayami.  salilam 
salilam. 

Vidusakah.  ( niskramya  punah  pravisya )  bho,  edam 

salilam. 

♦ 

(Rajo  ’pasrtya  Priyadarsanaya  upari  hastam  nidhaya 
mantrasmaranam  natayati.  Priyadarsika  sanair 

uttisthati ) 

Vasavadatta.  aj jaiitta,  ditthia  paccuj jlvida  me  bhaini. 

Vijayasenah.  aho  devasya  vidyaprabhavah. 

Kancuki.  aho  sarvatra  ’pratihata  narendrata  devasya. 

Priyadarsika.  ( sanair  utthayo  ’pavisya  ca  jrmbhikam 
natayanti  savisadam  avispastam )  Manorame,  ciram  khu  sutta 
mhi. 

Vidusakah.  bho  vaassa,  nivvudham  de  vodittanam. 

•  •  ■'•••  •  • 


( Priyadarsika  sdbhilasam  Rdjanam  nirupya  salajjani 
kim  cid  adhomukhi  tisthati) 

Vasavadatta.  ( saharsam )  a j jaiitta,  kim  danim  pi  esa 
annadha  jevva  karedi. 

Raja.  ( sasmitam ) 

svabhavastha  drstir  na  bhavati  giro  na  ’tivisadas 


ACT  FOUR 


89 


Vasavadatta.  {In  tears.)  Priyadarsana,  arise,  arise !  Look! 
Here  stands  the  King. — What!  has  she  lost  consciousness,  too? 
What  wrong,  pray,  have  I  done  unwittingly,  that  you  are  angry 
and  do  not  speak?  Then  pardon  me,  pardon  me!  Arise,  arise! 
I’ll  not  do  wrong  again.  {Looking  upward.)  Ah,  cursed  fate! 
What  misdeed,  pray,  have  I  done  that  I  should  see  my  cousin 
brought  to  such  a  plight!  {Falls  upon  Priyadarsika.) 

Jester.  My  dear  fellow,  why  do  you  stand  there  like  one 
dazed?  This  is  no  time  for  despair.  The  working  of  the  poison 
is  alarming.64  So  show  the  power  of  your  science. 

King.  That  is  quite  true.  {Looking  at  Priyadarsika.)  I 
have  indeed  been  dazed  all  this  while.  So  I  will  bring  her  [back] 
to  life.  Water,  water! 

Jester.  {Exit  and  re-enters.)  Sir,  here  is  water. 

{The  King,  advancing,  lays  his  hand  on  Priyadarsika 
and  acts  as  if  reciting  incantations.  Priyadarsika 

slowly  rises.) 

Vasavadatta.  My  Lord,  my  cousin  has  been  happily  brought 
back  to  life.65 

Vijayasena.  O  the  power  of  the  King’s  science! 
Chamberlain.  O  the  altogether  irresistible  <maj-esty>  and 
<mag-ic  art>66  of  the  King! 

Priyadarsika.  {Rises  slowly  and  sits  up;  indicates  a  yawn; 
dejectedly  and  indistinctly.)  Manorama,  I’ve  been  asleep  a  long 
time. 

Jester.  My  dear  fellow,  your  medical  skill  has  been  fully 
demonstrated. 

(Priyadarsika,  gazing  longingly  at  the  King,  modestly 
stands  with  her  face  slightly  lowered.) 

Vasavadatta.  {Joyfully.)  My  Lord,  why  does  she  still  act 
strangely  ? 

King.  {With  a  smile.) 

Her  sight  is  not  in  its  natural  condition;  her  speech  is  not  very 
distinct67; 


90 


PRIYADARSIKA 


tanuh  sldaty  esa  prakatapulakasvedakanika 

yatha  ca  ’yam  kampah  stanabharapariklesaj  ananas 

tatha  na  ’dya  ’py  asya  niyatam  akhilam  samyati  visam  [io] 

Kancukl.  ( Priyadarsikdm  nirdisya)  rajaputri,  esa  te  pitur 
ajnakarah.  (iti  padayoh  patati) 

Priyadarsika.  ( vilokya )  kadham  kancui  ajja-Vinaa- 
vasu.  ( sasram )  ha  tada,  ha  ajjue. 

Kancuki.  rajaputri,  alam  ruditena.  kusalinau  te  pitarau. 
Vatsarajaprabhavat  punas  tadavastham  eva  rajyam. 

Vasavadatta.  {sasram l)  ehi  aliasile.  idanim  pi  de 
bhainiasineham  damsehi.  (kanthe  arhitva)  idanim  samassattha 
mhi. 

Vidusakah.  bhodi,  tumam  bhainim  genhia kanthe  evvam 
parituttha  si.  vodiassa  paritosiam  visumaridam. 
Vasavadatta.  Vasantaa,  na  visumaridam. 
Vidusakah.  ( Rajanam  nirdisya  sasmitam)  vodia,  pasa- 
rehi  hattham.  bhainie  aggahattham  de  paritosiam  davissam. 

•  •  O  O  •  JL  •  • 


( Raja  hastam  prasdrayati.  Vasavadatta  Priyadarsika, - 

hast  am  arpayati) 

Raja.  ( hastam  upasamhrtya)  kim  anaya.  sampraty  eva 
katham  api  prasaidita  ’si. 

Vasavadatta.  ko  tumam  agenhidum.  padhamam  jevva 

tadena  iam  dinna. 

•  •  •  • 

Vidusakah.  bho,  mananla  khu  devl.  ma  se  padiulam 
karehi. 

( Vasavadatta  Rdjho  hastam  balad  akrsya  Priyadarsikam 

arpayati ) 

Raja.  ( sasmitam )  devl  prabhavati.  kuto  ’smakam  anyatha 

kartum  vibhavah. 

•  • 


ACT  FOUR 


91 


Her  body,  manifestly  athrill  and  covered  with  beads  of  sweat,  is 

relaxed ; 

And  since  this  trembling  causes  distress  to  her  bosom, 

The  poison  is  certainly  not  yet  wholly  allayed.68  [10] 

Chamberlain.  ( Addressing  Priyadarsika.)  Princess,  I  am 
your  father’s  servitor.  ( Falls  at  her  feet.) 

Priyadarsika.  ( Looking  at  him.)  What!  the  chamberlain, 
the  worthy  Vinayavasu?  ( In  tears.)  Alas,  my  father!  Alas, 
my  mother!69 

Chamberlain.  Princess,  weep  no  more!  Your  parents  are 
well.  Through  the  power  of  Vatsaraja  the  kingdom  is  re-estab¬ 
lished. 

Vasavadatta.  ( In  tears.)  Come,  you  cheat  of  a  girl!  Now 
show  your  cousinly  affection.  ( Clasping  her  around  the  neck.) 
Now  I  am  comforted. 

Jester.  Madam,  you  are  gratified  by  thus  embracing  your 
cousin,  but  the  gratuity  for  the  physician  has  been  forgotten. 

Vasavadatta.  Vasantaka,  it’s  not  forgotten. 

Jester.  ( Addressing  the  King  with  a  smile.)  Physician, 
stretch  out  your  hand.  I  shall  have  the  cousin’s  hand70  given  to 
you71  as  a  gratuity. 

(  The  King  stretches  out  his  hand;  Vasavadatta  places 
Priyadarsika’s  hand  in  his.) 

King.  (Withdrawing  his  hand.)  What  have  I  to  do  with 
her  ?  Only  now  you  have  with  difficulty  been  reconciled. 

Vasavadatta.  What  right  have  you  to  refuse?72  Her  father 
gave  her  to  you  in  the  first  place.73 

Jester.  Sir,  the  Queen  is  to  be  obeyed.  Do  not  act  against 
her  wish. 

(Vasavadatta  forcibly  draws  the  King’s  hand  to  her 
and  gives  [him  that  of]  Priyadarsika.) 

King.  (  With  a  smile.)  The  Queen  prevails.  How  is  it  pos¬ 
sible  for  us  to  do  otherwise? 


92 


PRIYADARSIKA 


Vasavadatta.  ajjaiitta,  ado  vi  param  kim  de  piam 
kariadu. 

Raja,  kim  atah  param  priyam.  pasya. 

nihsesam  Drdhavarmana  punar  api  svam  raj  yam  adhyasitam 
tvam  kopena  suduram  apy  apahrta  sadyah  prasanna  mama 
jlvantl  Priyadarsana  ca  bhaginl  bhuyas  tvaya  samgata 
kim  tat  syaid  aparam  priyam  priyatame  yat  sampratam 
prarthyate  [n] 

tatha  ’pi  ’dam  astu: 

(bharatavakyam) 

urvim  uddamasasyam  janayatu  visrjan  Vasavo  vrstim  istam 
istais  traivistapanam  vidadhatu  vidhivat  prlnanam  vipramu- 
khyah 

akalpantam  ca  bhuyat  sthirasamupacita  samgatih  sajjananam 
nihsesam  yantu  santim  pisunajanagiro  duhsaha  vajralepah 
[12] 


(iti  niskrantdh  sarve) 

iti  caturtho  ’nkah 

samdpte  ’yarn  Priyadarsika  ndma  ndtikd 


ACT  FOUR 


93 


Vasavadatta.  My  Lord,  is  there  anything  besides  this  that 

you  would  wish  done? 

King.  What  besides  this  could  I  wish  ?74  Observe — 

Drdhavarman  possesses  once  more  his  own  kingdom  entire 

You,  who  were  transported  beyond  bounds  with  anger,  are  now  gra¬ 
cious  to  me; 

Your  cousin  Priyadarsana  is  alive,  nay  more,  is  united  with  you; 

What  other  wish  could  there  be,  my  beloved,  that  could  be  wished 
for  now?75  [n] 

And  may  this  also  come  to  pass ; — 

(EPILOGUE76) 

May  Indra  pour  down  the  wished-for  rain  and  make  the  earth 
abound  in  grain; 

May  the  most  excellent  Brahmans  duly  effect  through  sacrifices  the 
propitiation  of  the  gods; 

May  unity  among  good  men  be  firm  and  ever-increasing  unto  the 
world’s  end77 ; 

May  the  words  of  carping  persons,  intolerable  [yet  clinging  like] 
cement,78  be  utterly  brought  to  naught!79  [12] 

( Exeunt  omnes.) 

End  of  the  Fourth  Act 


Here  endeth  the  Play  called  Priyadarsika 


f 


NOTES 


NOTES  ON  ACT  I 


(The  numbers  of  the  notes  correspond  to  the  superior  figures 
in  the  Translation.  The  notes  on  each  Act  are  numbered  sepa¬ 
rately.  For  editions  of  works  to  which  reference  is  made,  and 
for  abbreviations  used,  see  above,  pages  xiii-xxvi.) 

1.  prastavand:  This  word  is  in  the  text  of  Gadre,  but  is  omitted  in 
Krishnamachariar  and  Vidyasagara.  On  the  prastavand,  *  Induction,’  and 
the  general  introduction  of  a  drama  see  Dasarupa  3.  8-12,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas, 
pp.  82-84,  New  York,  1912,  and  the  references  there  given.  The  two  open¬ 
ing  stanzas  form  the  ndndi,  or  ‘Invocation/  see  DR.  3.  4,  ed.  Haas,  p.  80, 
with  references. 

2.  Stanza  1 :  This  stanza  describes  the  emotions  of  Gauri,  ‘  the  White 
One’  (Parvati),  on  the  occasion  of  her  marriage  with  Siva  in  the  presence 
of  the  god  Brahma  as  officiating  priest  before  the  sacred  fire.  The  crescent 
moon  ( indu )  is  always  worn  by  Siva  on  his  head  (see  Hopkins,  Epic 
Mythology,  pp.  70,  221;  Moor,  Hindu  Pantheon,  p.  23,  pi.  6;  Kalidasa, 
Meghaduta  1.50;  Rajasekhara,  Karpuramanjari  1.3).  Gauri,  the  bride,  is 
here  represented  as  eager  to  look  at  her  husband,  but  as  bashfully  hanging 
her  head,  thus  catching  sight  in  the  bright  nails  of  her  feet,  as  in  a  mirror, 
of  the  reflection  of  Hara  (Siva),  who,  according  to  an  old  legend  (cf. 
Ramayana  1.43),  carried  Ganga,  the  goddess  of  the  sacred  Ganges,  on  his 
head;  she  then  becomes  jealous  of  having  a  co-wife  or  rival.  (Cf.  also 
Visakhadatta,  Mudraraksasa,  1. 1 ;  Kalidasa,  Meghaduta  1.  50.)  In  Harsha’s 
Ratnavali  (act  1,  stanza  2)  another  aspect  of  the  same  scene  is  depicted; 
for  a  parallel  to  the  smoke  compare  the  invocation  stanza  in  Bana’s  Par- 
vatlparinaya  (act  1,  stanza  1). 

This  stanza  is  quoted  with  Harsha’s  name  in  Srldharadasa’s  Sadukti- 
karnamrta,  1.  114,  ed.  Ramavatara  Sarma,  fasc.  1,  p.  31,  Calcutta,  1912,  with 
the  variants  natamukhl  in  pada  b  and  padanakhdcchadarpanagatam  in  pada 
c. — The  meter  is  sardulavikndita ;  see  part  9  of  the  Introduction. 

3.  api  ca :  These  link-words  between  stanzas  in  lyrical  passages  of  the 
drama  are  common  enough  (cf.  3.  11-12).  They  were  probably  spoken  in 
a  different  tone  in  the  melodic  recitative,  and  indicate  generally  a  change 
in  thought  and  meter;  we  can  imagine  that  such  pauses  must  have  been 
rather  effective  rhetorically.  Similar  is  the  use  of  kim  ca,  1  and  likewise/ 
or  again  (to  indicate  a  contrast)  of  at  ha  vd,  *  or  rather,  and  yet/ 

4.  Stanza  2:  The  scene  depicted  in  this  stanza  is  that  described  in 
Ramayana  7. 16,  especially  stanzas  25-31.  Ravana,  being  warned  away  by 
the  dwarf  Nandin  from  a  mountain  where  Siva  is  taking  his  pleasure,  in 


14 


97 


98 


NOTES 


his  rage  shakes  the  mountain.  Siva  with  his  great  toe  presses  down  the 
mountain  and  Ravana’s  arms.  After  being  propitiated,  he  releases  Ra- 
vana. — The  meter  is  sragdhara.  The  contrast  in  sentiment  and  meter  be¬ 
tween  this  stanza  and  the  first  is  paralleled  by  that  in  the  opening  stanzas 
( i—2  and  3)  of  the  Ratnavall.  The  locative  absolute  construction  ( udaste , 
etc.)  in  the  first  three  padas  of  the  stanza  lends  itself  conveniently  to  the 
sragdhara  meter. 

Kaildsa :  A  mountain  which  is  the  abode  of  Siva  as  well  as  of  Kubera, 
the  god  of  wealth  (cf.  Meghaduta  1.58-60).  The  name  is  now  applied  to 
a  mountain  of  the  Himalaya  range  near  a  source  of  the  Indus  in  Tibet. 

5.  Ganesu:  The  name  of  a  class  of  demigods  who  are  the  attendants 
of  Siva. 

6.  Kumara :  The  god  of  war,  son  of  Siva  and  Parvatl,  and  more  com¬ 
monly  known  as  Skanda;  here  he  is  regarded  in  his  aspect  as  a  child 
{kumara). 

7.  Visamuc :  The  snake  which  Siva  is  often  represented  as  wearing 
around  his  neck  or  on  his  head;  cf.  Meghaduta  1.60  and  see  Moor,  Hindu 
Pantheon,  pi.  7. 

8.  Pdtdla :  The  subterranean  abode  of  the  Nagas,  or  Snake  Deities;  cf. 
note  38  on  Act  2,  below. 

9.  paddvastambha-  :  lit.  ‘  possessing  a  foot-support-sinking  body.’  Pos¬ 
sibly  the  compound  might  be  analyzed  to  convey  the  idea  of  ‘  his  body 
sinking  through  supporting  the  foot  (of  Siva)’  as  the  god  pressed  him 
down,  according  to  the  Ramayana  passage. 

10.  nandi :  On  the  Invocation,  or  Benediction,  with  which  a  Sanskrit 
drama  regularly  begins,  see  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien,  pp.  131-136,  Paris, 
1890. 

11.  sutradhara :  For  the  functions  of  the  stage-manager  {sutradhara), 
who  is  the  leader  of  the  company  of  actors  and  plays  the  principal  role, 
see  Levi,  pp.  378-379- 

12.  adya  ’ham:  This  portion  of  the  Induction  through  stanza  3  recurs 
with  a  few  slight  verbal  differences  in  the  other  two  plays  ascribed  to 
Ilarsha,  the  Ratnavall  and  the  Nagananda. 

13.  vasantotsave :  The  festivities  of  the  coming  of  spring  were  for¬ 
merly  celebrated  on  the  full-moon  day  of  the  month  Chaitra  (March- 
April),  but  now  take  place  on  the  full-moon  day  of  Phalguna  (February- 
March)  and  are  identified  with  the  Hindu  Holi  festival,  cf.  Apte,  San- 
skrit-English  Dictionary,  p.  953,  Poona,  1890;  H.  H.  Wilson,  Theatre  of 
the  Hindus,  2.  264  n.  2,  3d  ed.,  London,  1871 ;  Konow  and  Lanman,  Raja- 
gekhara’s  Karpura-mahjafl,  pp.  214-215,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1901.  This 
festival  is  mentioned  likewise  in  the  Induction  of  Ratnavall,  while  the 


ACT  ONE 


99 


opening  of  Nagananda  alludes  to  the  Festival  of  Indra.  Cf.  also  Sakun- 
tala,  act  6,  and  the  note  ad  loc.  (n.  89)  in  the  translation  of  Monier- 
Williams. 

14.  rdjasamuha :  On  the  group  of  eighteen  vassal  kings  subservient  to 
Harsha,  and  on  his  two  special  allies,  the  king  of  Valabhi  and  Bhaskara- 
varman,  King  of  Kamarupa,  see  Life  of  Hiuen-T  siang ,  tr.  S.  Beal,  p.  185, 
London,  1911,  and  S.  Beal,  Si-yu-ki,  Buddhist  Records,  1.  218;  2.  267;  see 
also  Harsacarita,  tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  pp.  49,59,  194;  and  cf.  Etting- 
hausen,  Harsa-Vardhana,  pp.  62,  64,  159,  160,  161. 

15.  ndtikd :  The  ndtikd  is  a  sentimental  comedy  in  four  acts,  whereas 
the  ndtaka ,  or  drama  proper,  is  in  five  or  more  acts  and  has  a  wider  range 
of  theme  and  treatment.  Cf.  DR.  3.  46-52,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  pp.  95-98. 

16.  apiirvavasturacana- :  Or,  ‘graced  by  a  novel  treatment  of  the  sub¬ 
ject.’  Much  depends  upon  the  resolution  of  the  compound,  which  here 
as  in  the  parallel  passage  of  the  Ratnavali  alludes  apparently  to  the  inven¬ 
tion  of  the  subject  by  the  author;  while  on  the  other  hand  the  subject  of 
the  Nagananda,  although  similarly  designated  as  apurva-,  was  taken 
from  the  Brhatkatha.  See  further  Introduction,  part  5,'  and  also  part  2 
with  reference  to  Harsacarita,  p.  79  (text),  kdvya-kathdsv  apitam  amrtam 
udvamantam. 

17.  -dhlddino :  It  may  be  noted  that  the  name  of  King  Harsha  means 
literally  ‘Joy’;  cf.  Introduction,  part  1,  page  xxx;  part  2,  page  xli. 

18.  nepathyaracandm  :  Lit.  ‘  tiring-room-arrangement,’  alluding  es¬ 
pecially  to  the  arranging  of  costumes  and  other  accessories.  See,  for 
example,  the  description  in  Karpuramanjarl  1.  4.  1-13  (ed.  Konow  and 
Lanman,  pp.  2,  224). 

19.  Vatsardjacaritam :  The  adventures  of  King  Vatsa  (Udayana) 
formed  the  theme  of  the  opening  portion  of  the  Brhatkatha;  see  Intro¬ 
duction  to  the  present  volume,  part  5. 

20.  Stanza  3 :  This  stanza  constitutes  technically  the  Laudation 
( prarocand )  ;  see  DR.  3.  6,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  81.  It  recurs  verbatim  as 
Ratnavali  1.6,  and  likewise  as  Nagananda  1.3,  with  the  substitution  of 
Bodhisattva  as  the  hero  instead  of  Vatsaraja;  cf.  Introduction,  part  6. — > 
The  meter  is  sdrdiilavikfidita. 

21.  prastdvandr-:  This  form  of  Induction  is  technically  known  as 
prayogdtisaya,  ‘  particular  presentation,’  in  which  a  character  is  introduced 
by  a  remark  of  the  stage-manager;  cf.  DR.  3.  12,  ed.  Haas,  p.  84.  The 
‘  brother  ’  of  the  stage-manager  is  mentioned  likewise  in  the  Induction  of 
the  Ratnavali. 

22.  Drdhavarman :  This  name  seems  not  to  belong  to  any  personage 


100 


NOTES 


of  historic  times,  but  is  borne  in  the  Mahabharata  (1.67.99;  1.117.8)  by  a 
son  of  Dhrtarastra. 

23.  Angadhipater :  The  ancient  kingdom  of  the  Arigas  occupied  a  dis¬ 
trict  in  Northern  Bengal  corresponding  to  the  modern  districts  of 
Monghyr  and  Bhagalpur. 

24.  anantarabhumikdm:  Namely,  the  part  of  the  King.  The  stage- 
manager  regularly  enacts  the  principal  role,  cf.  Levi,  p.  378. 

25.  viskambhakah :  This  word,  denoting  the  preliminary  Explanatory 
Scene,  is  found  in  the  edition  of  G.,  though  not  in  K.  and  V.  On  the 
nature  of  such  an  explanatory  scene  cf.  DR.  1. 116-117 ;  3.33;  ed.  and  tr. 
Haas,  pp.34,9i. 

26.  kancuki :  The  chamberlain,  who  is  a  trustworthy  officer  of  the 
palace,  is  regularly  represented  in  the  Sanskrit  drama  as  a  Brahman 
advanced  in  years  and  experience,  and  showing  the  feebleness  and  de¬ 
jection  of  old  age;  his  duties  are  closely  connected  likewise  with  the 
management  of  the  zenana.  See  Levi,  p.128,  and  appendix  p.  20;  cf. 

Act  3,  stanza  3,  page  49,  and  also  VikramorvasI,  act  3,  stanza  1. 

• 

27.  natayan :  The  translation  ‘  acting  as  if  ’  or  ‘  acts  as  if  ’  is  about 
the  best  rendering  for  the  frequent  stage-direction,  natayan  or  natayati, 
used  to  indicate  that  the  actor  is  to  represent  or  portray  by  some  special 
conventional  gesture  or  expression  a  particular  action  or  mood ;  ‘  mim¬ 
icking,  counterfeiting’  would  also  convey  the  idea,  but  less  satisfactorily. 
Special  rules  regarding  these  gestures,  attitudes,  and  the  like  are  given 
in  Sanskrit  works ;  cf.  especially  the  Abhinayadarpana,  ‘  Mirror  of  Ges¬ 
ture/  tr.  A.  K.  Coomaraswamy  and  G.  K.  Duggirala,  Cambridge,  1917; 
consult  likewise  F.  Cimmino,  L’Uso  delle  didascalie  nel  dramma  indiano, 
pp.  150-172,  Naples,  1912. 

28.  nisphaldydh  phalam :  The  translation  attempts  to  preserve  the 
play  on  words  in  the  original. — This  stanza  is  quoted  in  Dhanika’s  com¬ 
mentary  on  DR.  4. 10  as  an  example  of  dejection  caused  by  misfortune. — 
Bohtlingk,  Ind.  Spr.  5770,  reprints  the  stanza  from  the  DR.  commentary 
with  the  word-division  katu  (adj.  with  phalam )  nisphaldydh  and  the  emenda¬ 
tion  cirajivikdydh. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  upajdti. 

29.  tddrsasya  'pi:  For  convenience  of  translation  this  long  sentence, 

ending  with  na  sraddadhe,  has  been  broken  up  into  separate  sentences. 
Literally :  ‘  I  cannot  believe  that,  although  it  has  actually  happened,  such 

a  disaster  of  Drdhavarman  ...  is  made  by  the  accursed  Kalinga  .  .  .’ 

30.  - saktitrayasya :  The  regal  power  in  ancient  India  is  regularly  de¬ 
scribed  as  having  three  elements,  (1)  prabhu,  ‘the  majesty  of  the  king 
himself,’  (2)  mantra,  ‘good  counsel,’  (3)  utsdha,  ‘energy’;  for  references 
cf.  PIVb.  s.v.  1  sakti;  Kern  in  Weber,  Indische  Studien,  10.  194-195. 


ACT  ONE 


IOI 


31.  Raghu,  Dilipa,  Nala:  These  are  the  names  of  three  kings  famous 
in  ancient  legend ;  the  first  two  are  respectively  the  great-grandfather  and 
great-great-grandfather  of  Rama  and  are  celebrated  in  the  opening  cantos 
of  Kalidasa’s  Raghuvamsa;  Nala,  as  king  of  Nisadha,  is  the  hero  of  the 
well-known  episode  of  Nala  and  Damayanti  in  the  third  book  of  the 
Mahabharata.  See  also  Pargiter,  Ancient  Indian  Historical  Tradition,  pp. 
90-94,  147,  London,  1922. 

32.  Kalinga:  The  name  of  the  kingdom,  as  often,  is  applied  to  the 
king  himself  (compare  similarly  ‘the  ambitious  Norway’  in  Hamlet,  1. 
1. 61).  The  district  of  Kalinga  lay  along  the  coast  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal, 
between  the  Mahanadi  and  Godavari  rivers.  On  the  nature  of  the  com¬ 
pound  Kalinga-hataka,  lit.  ‘  wretch  of  a  Kalinga,’  see  Wackernagel, 
Grammatik,  2,  §  100b,  p.  251 ;  Panini  2.  1.  53. 

33.  svaduhitd:  A  reference  to  Priyadarsika,  the  heroine  of  the  play. 

34.  idrsam  ca :  The  conjunction  ca  seems  to  be  used  to  form  a  loose 
connection  with  the  preceding  sentence ;  compare,  for  example,  MBh.  3.  54. 
24  (see  Lanman,  Skt.  Reader,  p.  6,  line  9,  Boston,  1888). 

35.  Vindhyaketor :  The  name  ‘Banner  of  the  Vindhya  (Mountains)’ 
is  an  appropriate  one  for  a  forest  king. 

36.  Agastyatirtham:  Lit.  ‘bathing-place  and  place  of  pilgrimage  of 
Agastya,’  the  sage  who  is  reported  to  have  carried  Brahmanical  civiliza¬ 
tion  to  Southern  India,  this  holy  place  being  located  in  the  Tinnevelly 
District  in  the  extreme  south  of  the  peninsula.  So  MBh.  1.216.3;  3. 
88.13;  3.118.4;  but  cf.  Ramayana  3.  11-13,  and  Kadambarl,  tr.  C.  M. 
Ridding,  pp.  16-20,  London,  1896;  text,  Nirnaya  Sagara  ed.,  pp.  43-47, 
Bombay,  1890,  according  to  which  latter  the  hermitage  of  Agastya  was 
near  the  upper  sources  of  the  Godavari ;  see  also  Uttararamacarita,  act  2, 
introduction.  The  context  of  this  scene  would  point  to  a  place  in  the 
Vindhya  region.  Consult  particularly  also  note  26  on  Act  2,  below. 

37.  Pradyota-,  Vatsarajah,  Kausdmbim :  See  Introduction,  part  5. 

38.  kim  iva:  Cf.  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax,  §  409.  3. 

39 . -md  bhaisih :  On  the  use  of  the  augmentless  aorist  in  prohibitions 
see  Whitney,  Skt.  Grammar,  §579  a;  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax,  §353. 

40.  tatrabhavdn:  On  this  title  of  respect  used  in  referring  to  a 
person  not  present,  see  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax,  §260. 

41.  gadhaprahdrajarjarikrto :  Cf.  Prabodhacandrodaya,  act  5,  §14  (ed. 
Brockhaus,  p.  88;  ed.  Hrishikesh  Sastri,  p.  124,  Calcutta,  n.  d.),  where  the 
same  compound  recurs. 

42.  saraddtapasya:  Cf.  Introduction,  part  4. 


102 


NOTES 


43.  Stanza  5:  In  this  stanza  all  the  significant  words  are  used  in  a 
double  sense,  and  it  forms  a  good  example  of  the  slesa,  or  parono¬ 
masia  (indicated  in  the  translation  by  <  >,  or,  when  double  and  triple,  by 
«»,  «<  »>)  ;  cf.  L.  H.  Gray,  Vasavadatta,  pp.  17-18;  G.  P.  Quackenbos,  The 
Sanskrit  Poems  of  Mayiira,  pp.  90-91.  The  stanza  at  the  close  of  the 
explanatory  scene  in  Ratnavali  (1.  9)  is  framed  in  a  similar  manner,  com¬ 
paring  the  hero  to  the  god  Kama. — K.  Com.  quite  naturally  draws  atten¬ 
tion  to  the  rhetorical  figure  upamd,  ‘  simile/  on  which  see  Kavyaprakasa, 
ed.  Jhalakikara,  2d  ed.,  p.  653,  Bombay,  1901 ;  tr.  G.  Jha,  p.  200,  Benares, 
1898;  tr.  D.  T.  Chandorkar,  p.  1,  Poona,  1896;  see  also  Sahityadarpana 
647,  cf.  ed.  P.  V.  Kane,  text,  p.  19,  notes,  p.  81,  Bombay,  1910. — The  meter 
is  dryd. 

44.  ghanabandhanamukto :  That  is,  at  the  end  of  the  rainy  season ; 
cf.  Introduction,  part  4. 

45.  kanya-,  tuldm :  On  the  twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac  in  India  see 
Thibaut,  ‘  Astronomie/  in  Grundriss  der  Indo-Arischen  Philologie,  3. 9, 
p.  25. 

46.  viskambhakah :  This  preliminary  scene  is  linked  up  later  with  the 
main  action  of  the  play  through  the  re-appearance  of  the  Chamberlain  in 
the  Fourth  Act,  where  he  serves  to  bring  about  the  recognition  of  the 
heroine. 

47.  nirvyudha :  Lit.  ‘  brought  to  completion/ 

48.  dharmatah :  This  word  with  the  adverbial  ending  -tas  is  used 
exactly  as  an  ablative  case,  as  shown  by  the  adj.  niruydjdd ;  cf.  Whitney, 
Skt.  Grammar ,  §1098  d. 

49.  Stanza  6 :  The  general  sentiment  of  satisfaction  with  the  state  of 
the  kingdom  is  parallel  with  that  expressed  in  Ratn.  1.  10  and  Nagan.  1.  7. — 
K.  Com.  regards  this  stanza  as  an  illustration  of  the  rhetorical  figure 
vibhdvand,  ‘  peculiar  causation/  i.  e.  the  statement  of  effects  arising  other¬ 
wise  than  from  their  usual  causes,  the  ordinary  reasons  being  absent;  cf. 
Kavyadarsa  2.  199,  ed.  Bohtlingk,  Leipzig,  1890;  KP.  p.798;  tr.  Jha,  p.230; 
tr.  Chandorkar,  p.  83;  SD.  716,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  222-223. — The 
meter  is  sardulavikndita. 

50.  Vidiisakah:  The  Jester,  as  the  confidant  and  constant  companion 
of  the  king,  is  a  typical  character  in  Hindu  dramas.  Although  a  Brahman 
and  of  higher  caste  than  the  king,  he  is  represented  as  the  ‘fun-maker’ 
( hdsya-krt ,  DR.  2.  13,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  45),  ungainly  in  person,  fond  of 
eating  and  sleeping,  and  a  general  butt  of  ridicule.  See  Levi,  Le  Theatre 
indien,  pp.  122-123, 358-360,  J.  Huizinga,  De  Vidusaka  in  het  indisch 
Tooneel ,  Groningen,  1897;  F.  Cimmino,  ‘II  Tipo  comico  del  “  vidushaka  ” 
nelT  antico  dramma  indiano/  Atti  della  Reale  Accademia  di  Archeologia, 


ACT  ONE 


103 


Lettere  e  Belle  Arti  ( di  Napoli ),  16,  part  2,  pp.  97-142;  M.  Schuyler,  ‘The 
Origin  of  the  Vidusaka,  and  the  employment  of  this  character  in  the 
plays  of  Harsadeva,’  JAOS.  20  (1899),  pp.  338-340. 

51.  bho  vaassa :  The  translations  ‘  my  dear  fellow  ’  for  bho  vaassa, 
and  ‘dear  fellow’  for  vaassa  or  vayasya,  in  direct  address  have  been 
adopted  as  perhaps  best  representing  the  tone  of  intimacy  and  even 
jocularity  which  pervades  the  conversation  between  the  Jester  and  the 
King.  Lanman  (see  Karpuramahjafi ppu  xviii-xix,  n.  1)  prefers  ‘old 
man,’  varying  this  with  ‘  my  man,’  ‘  man,’  and  ‘  O  friend,’  according  to 
the  mood  of  the  passage.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  Jester  always  em¬ 
ploys  the  respectful  bho ,  ‘  Sir,’  in  addressing  the  King,  which  the  latter 
does  not  use  in  addressing  him. 

52.  dasie  uttam :  Lit.  ‘son  of  a  slave  woman,’  a  frequent  term  of 
opprobrium  applied  to  something  inanimate  as  well  as  to  persons.  With 
regard  to  this  quasi-compound  K.  Com.  draws  attention  to  Panini  6.  3.  21 ; 
cf.  Wackernagel,  Grammatik ,  2,  §  99  c,  p.  248.  Cf.  also  gabbhadasle  sudd, 
Act  2,  after  stanza  7. 

53.  khalakhaldamana- :  On  the  formation  of  this  verbal  stem  see 
Whitney,  Skt.  Gr.  §  1066  c.  The  word  is  a  rare  one,  not  found  in  the 
larger  PWb.  and  quoted  in  the  smaller  PWb.  only  from  Ind.  Spr.  236 1, 
in  the  sense  of  ‘  platschern,’  to  splash. 

54.  sunna-:  The  text  of  G.  (cf.  also  V.)  inserts  pisunijjanta,  which 
must  be  a  passive  participle  (cf.  Pischel,  Grammatik  der  Prakrit - 
Sprachen,  §543,  p.  373),  though  G.  glosses  it  as  an  active  participle  in 
Sanskrit.  The  translation  of  that  reading  would  be  approximately  either 
‘  whose  manifested  heart-torment  is  futile  and  hard  to  bear  ’  or  ‘  whose 
heart-torment  is  manifested  to  the  empty  air.’  The  meaning  ‘  air  ’  for 
dukkara  ( duskara )  is,  however,  found  only  in  the  lexicographers,  while 
‘  hard  to  bear  ’  is  common. 

55*  garuakara- :  It  is  to  be  observed  that  this  and  the  preceding  com¬ 
pound  adjectives  can  be  applied  to  the  King  as  well  as  to  the  elephant, 
if  we  understand  this  epithet  as  indicating  the  King’s  attempts  to  tear 
up  with  his  strong  hands  the  floor  of  his  prison-house. 

56.  anubhiido  si :  For  this  verbal  expression,  ‘  you  have  experienced,’ 
G.  (cf.  also  V.)  reads  anuvdcesi,  ‘you  repeat’  (?),  but  he  confesses  that 
the  text  is  difficult  to  interpret  and  perhaps  corrupt. 

57.  Vasantaka :  The  name  of  the  Jester  appears  also  in  Ratnavall  and 
is  taken  from  the  Udayana  legend,  cf.  Introduction,  part  5;  it  is,  how¬ 
ever,  inherently  appropriate  for  the  vidusaka. 

58.  katdksd :  Allusions  to  the  sidelong  glances  of  love  are  frequent 
in  Sanskrit  literature. 


104 


NOTES 


59.  Stanza  7 :  The  meter  is  sardulavikfldita. 

60.  bandhanam — bandhesi :  The  translation  preserves  the  punning  use 
of  the  root  bandh . 

61.  Vindhyaketor — bahuny  ahani :  With  this  reference  compare  p.  9, 
above,  and  regarding  the  time-allusion  see  Introduction,  part  4.  The 
account  of  the  tumultuous  attack  on  Vindhyaketu  and  his  death  is 
alluded  to  as  an  illustration  of  avapdta,  ‘tumultuous  disturbance,’  one  of 
the  varieties  of  the  drabhatl  (‘horrific’)  style  of  action,  by  the  com¬ 
mentator  Dhanika  on  DR.  2.  92,  ed.  Haas,  p.  73. 

62.  amdtyo  Rumanvdn :  Rumanvant,  who  figures  here  as  a  minister, 
occupies  the  position  of  general  in  the  Ratnavali;  cf.  Introduction,  parts 
5  and  6. 

63.  pratihdfl:  On  the  custom  of  the  king’s  having  armed  female 
guards  and  attendants  cf.  Arthasastra  1.21,  and  see  V.  A.  Smith,  Early 
History  of  India,  3d  ed.,  p.  123  n.  2. 

64.  Stanza  8:  The  meter  of  this  stanza  is  dryd. 

65.  sthiyatdm :  For  the  same  use  of  the  root  sthd  in  the  sense  of 
‘  be  seated  ’  cf.  Act  3,  after  stanza  10. 

66.  yddrsah  svdmini  kupite :  Lit.  ‘  (he  is  such)  as  (one  is)  when  my 
lord  is  angry  ’ ;  cf .  the  phraseology  in  the  announcement  of  the  death 
of  Absalom,  2  Samuel  18.32,  ‘the  enemies  of  my  lord  the  king  ...  be 
as  that  young  man  is.’ 

67.  divasatrayena :  Compare  Introduction,  part  4. 

68.  -vdhano :  The  translation  of  the  last  member  of  this  compound  by 
the  singular  (not  ‘chariots’)  has  been  adopted  because  the  allusion  prob¬ 
ably  reflects  the  custom  of  Harsha’s  own  time,  when  the  use  of  chariots 
in  battle  was  apparently  abandoned.  This  may  be  inferred  from  the  refer¬ 
ence  immediately  above  to  the  threefold  force  ( kari-turaga-paddti-sain - 
yena )  and  the  allusion  in  stanzas  9-10  directly  below,  as  well  as  from 
Ratnavali,  act  4  (ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  p.  64;  ed.  Joglekar,  p.  165;  ed. 
Parab  and  Joshi,  p.  65;  cf.  H.  H.  Wilson,  Theatre  of  the  Hindus,  2.  305 
and  note) .  It  should  be  observedfthat  in  ancient  times  the  chariots  regularly 
formed  the  fourth  branch  of  an  Indian  army ;  see  E.  W.  Hopkins,  ‘  The 
Social  and  Military  Position  of  the  Ruling  Caste  in  Ancient  India,’  JAOS. 
13*  197-198  n. ;  cf.  likewise  Arthasastra  2.33;  10.4-6.  This  fourfold 
division  of  the  army  is  still  recognized  by  the  Chinese  pilgrim  Hsuan- 
Chuang  in  Harsha’s  day,  although  in  his  enumeration  of  the  forces  com¬ 
posing  Harsha’s  army  he  does  not  mention  chariots  (cf.  Beal,  Records, 
1.  82,  213,  and  Watters,  On  Yuan  Chwang’s  Travels,  1.  171,  343).  See  in 
general  V.  A.  Smith,  Oxford  History  of  India,  pp.  81-82, 165. 


ACT  ONE 


105 


69.  svanama-udghofayann :  On  the  custom  of  a  warrior’s  announcing 
his  name  before  engaging  in  combat  cf.  MBh.  7. 145.  76-77  (tr.  P.  C.  Roy 
[Ray],  vol.  7,  pp.  446-447). 

70.  karikara-  .  .  .  -tilam :  Lit.  ‘  the  sport  of  the  cutting  of  the  grove 
of  the  plantains  of  the  trunks  of  the  elephants.’  The  uplifted  trunks 
of  the  elephants  are  boldly  compared  to  a  group  of  plantain  trees  ( Musa 
sapientum),  the  fruit  of  which  is  known  in  America  as  the  banana. 
For  lildm  cf.  Hamlet  2. 2. 491-492,  ‘  make  malicious  sport  In  mincing 
with  his  sword  her  husband’s  head  ’ ;  cf.  also  Raghuvamsa  12.  96,  ciccheda 
kadalisukham. — The  meter  of  this  stanza  is  sragdhard. 

71.  balatritayam :  Compare  the  preceding  stanza,  in  which  the  infantry, 
cavalry,  and  elephants  are  mentioned,  and  see  note  68,  above. 

72.  krpdna-  .  .  .  - kiitah :  Lit.  ‘with  his  shoulder-summit  (shoulder- 

blade)  gashed  (or  inlaid)  with  sword-rays.’ 

73.  jarjaritoruvaksdh :  The  compound  has  been  analyzed  as  jarjarita- 
u  r  u-vaksdh,  ‘  having  a  wounded  broad  chest,’  following  K.  Com.  uru  —  vi- 
salam ;  but  the  resolution  into  jarjarita-u  r  u-vaksdh,  ‘  having  wounded 
thighs  and  chest,’  would  be  equally  possible  according  to  the  rules  of  San¬ 
skrit  grammar,  though  not  of  Hindu  chivalry.  Cf.  MBh.  9. 60. 5  (tr.  P. 

C.  Ray  [Roy],  vol.  9,  p.  231). 

/ 

74.  Stanza  10:  The  meter  is  vasantatilakd ;  it  is  to  be  noted,  moreover, 
that  this  stanza  follows  the  preceding  one  with  a  change  of  meter,  but 
without  any  connecting  phrase  such  as  api  ca  (cf.  note  3,  above). 

75.  satpurusocitam  mdrgam :  The  path  which  the  warrior  ‘  is  follow¬ 
ing’  ( anugacchati )  leads  to  heaven,  which  is  the  reward  of  those  who  fall 
fighting  in  battle;  see  Hopkins,  ‘Ruling  Caste,’  JAOS.  13.  186-189,  and  cf. 
also  Bohtlingk’s  Indische  Spriiche,  2d  ed.,  3012;  Arthasastra  10.  3. 

76.  sahadharmacdrinisu :  Lit.  ‘  those  performing  religious  duties  in 
common  (with  the  husband).’  Gadre  in  his  note  (p.  9)  observes:  ‘Ac¬ 
cording  to  the  Hindu  state  of  society  one’s  wife  is  a  constant  and  insep¬ 
arable  companion  to  the  husband  in  the  practice  of  religious  duties.’  The 
wives,  as  indicated  in  this  passage,  committed  suttee,  according  to  Indian 
custom  in  former  times. 

77.  krtakrpanapralapd  .  .  .  kanyakd :  Lit.  ‘  a  maiden  by  whom  a  piteous 
lament  was  made.’ 

78.  pramdnam :  Lit.  ‘Your  Majesty  is  the  authority  regarding  her.’ 

79.  Yasodhare :  The  name  of  the  Portress  is  here  given ;  cf.  Introduc¬ 
tion,  part  5. 

80.  bhagimbuddhya :  Note  that  in  the  denouement  in  the  Fourth  Act 
the  heroine  turns  out  to  be  a  cousin  ( bhagini )  of  the  Queen. 


io6 


NOTES 


81.  gitanrttavddyadisu :  These  three  are  mentioned  first  in  the  list  of 
the  sixty-four  liberal  arts  or  accomplishments  ( vidya )  mentioned  in  Ka- 
masutra  1.3  (text,  pp.  32-34)  ;  French  tr.  of  Lamairesse,  pp.  8-10,  Paris, 
1891 ;  cf.  R.  Schmidt,  Beitrdge  zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp.  137-147,  Leipzig 
1902  (omitted  in  2d  ed.,  Berlin,  1911)  ;  Jolly,  ZDMG.  68.352  (Kiinste  und 
Fertigkeiten)  ;  E.  Miiller-Hess,  Aufsdtze  .  .  .  Ernst  Kuhn  .  .  .  gewidmet, 
Miinchen,  1916,  pp.  162-164. 

82.  vaitdlikah :  The  musician  or  bard  who  announced  in  musical 
measures  the  divisions  of  the  king’s  day  as  they  arrived  is  often  mentioned 
in  the  dramas  and  elsewhere;  see  Wilson,  Theatre  of  the  Hindus,  1. 
209  n.  1. 

83.  varaznbhramavati- :  Lit.  ‘  women  of  the  multitude,’  i.e.  courtesans. 
Cf.  Arthasastra  1.20:  ‘Prostitutes  with  personal  cleanliness  effected 
by  fresh  bath,  etc.  shall  attend  the  harem.’ 

84.  - kalasd-iva :  For  this  simile  cf.  Bana’s  Harsacarita,  ed.  Parab  and 
Vaze,  p.147;  tr.  Cowell  and  Thomas,  p.115:  ‘their  round  gleaming 
bosoms  made  the  festival  like  a  mass  of  auspicious  pitchers.’ — K.  Com. 
notes  that  this  is  an  illustration  of  the  rhetorical  figure  utpreksd,  ‘  poetic 
fancy,’  on  which  see  KP.  pp.  707-712;  tr.  Jha,  pp.  211-212;  tr.  Chandorkar, 
PP-  34-38;  SD.  686-692,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  130-142. — The  meter  of 
this  stanza  is  sardulavikrldita. 

85.  sahasradidhitih :  For  such  epithets  of  the  sun  cf.  Quackenbos, 
Sanskrit  Poems  of  May ura,  p.  87. 

86.  nabhomadhyam :  The  mid-day  hour  seems  to  have  been  the  time 
when  the  king  retired  to  his  zenana,  cf.  Arthasastra  1.  19.  See  also  Intro¬ 
duction,  part  4. 

87.  sapharodvartanair :  The  saphara  is  a  kind  of  small  carp  (Cyprinus 
Sophore),  very  active  and  glittering;  compare  the  similar  expression 
catula-sapharodvartana-  in  Meghaduta  1.40. 

88.  chattrdbham :  Lit.  ‘  like  an  umbrella.’ 

89.  dlavdla- :  The  basin  or  trench  dug  around  the  base  of  a  tree  for 
watering  it  in  the  dry  season.  For  a  somewhat  similar  picture  of  the 
mid-day  heat  cf.  Vikramorvasi,  act  2,  stanza  22. 

90.  kapolam :  The  bee  is  attracted  to  the  elephant’s  temples  by  the 
ichor  exuding  from  them,  particularly  in  time  of  rut. 

91.  Stanza  12:  K.  Com.  sees  in  this  stanza  an  instance  of  the 
rhetorical  figure  svabhdvokti,  1  description  of  natural  characteristics,’  i.e. 
a  statement  of  the  exact  nature  of  anything,  with  an  accurate  description 
of  its  mode  of  action;  see  KP.  p.814;  tr.  Jha,  p.  235  ;  tr.  Chandorkar,  p.  93 ; 
SD.  750,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  290-291. — The  meter  is  sragdhara. 


ACT  ONE 


107 


92.  presayamah :  On  this  use  of  the  first  person  of  the  indicative, 
when  the  hortatory  imperative  might  seem  more  natural,  see  Speijer, 
Skt.  Syntax ,  §  356. 

93.  Kalingocchitaye:  The  success  of  this  expedition  is  announced 
below  in  Act  4,  stanza  7 ;  for  the  expression  cf.  Kosalocchittaye  in  Ratn.  1, 
ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  p.  3  (in  the  viskambhaka) . 


NOTES  ON  ACT  II 


1.  ajja :  This  title  (Skt.  arya )  is  the  appropriate  form  of  address 
to  Brahmans,  such  as  the  Jester  is;  see  DR. 2.100,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas, 
p.  76. 

2.  sotthivaana-:  This  corresponds  to  the  common  Skt.  expression 
svastivdcana  (not  svastivdyana,  as  the  editors  usually  give  it).  The  word 
designates,  primarily,  the  pronouncing  of  the  benediction  by  a  Brahman 
at  a  religious  ceremony  (performed  particularly  by  a  married  woman)  ; 
and,  secondarily,  the  gift  accompanying  it  (cf.  Ratn.  1,  ed.  Godabole  and 
Parab,  p.  9;  Vikramorvasi,  ed.  G.  Bh.  Vaidya,  pp.  28,  47-48).  Gadre,  in 
his  note  on  the  present  passage,  observes  that  the  gift  is  ‘  what  is  called 
bana  in  Marathi.  It  generally  consists  of  a  small  basket  ( surpa )  con¬ 
taining  a  bodice-piece  ( khana ),  red  powder  (kuhku,  pinjara),  turmeric, 
bangles,  a  comb,  a  wooden  casket,  and  some  money.  This  is  given  on 
various  occasions  as  a  free  gift  to  Brahmanas  by  women  having  their 
husbands  living.  The  gift  is  calculated  to  secure  for  the  woman  perpetual 
saubhdgya,  “  absence  of  widowhood.”  ’ 

3.  dharaghar- :  This  is  defined  by  Apte,  Skt.  Diet.,  s.v.  dhardgrha,  as 
‘a  bathroom  with  water-jets,  a  shower-bath,  or  a  house  furnished  with 
artificial  jets  or  fountains  of  water’;  see  Raghuvamsa  16.49  and 
Meghaduta  1.61,  and  the  description  of  the  baths  at  Delhi  in  Murray, 
Handbook  of  India,  3d  ed.,  p.  139,  London,  1898. 

4.  kukkudavddam :  The  chanting  of  the  benedictory  formulas  at  the 
rite  is  jocularly  compared  to  the  crowing  of  a  cock.  Strehly’s  trans¬ 
lation  (p.  27),  ‘  imiter  le  cri  du  chien,’  appears  to  rest  upon  a  misinterpre¬ 
tation  of  the  word  as  equivalent  to  kukkura,  ‘  dog.’ 

5.  mahgalamdtramandanabhrtam :  The  ‘  auspicious  ’  ornaments  are 
those  which  are  regularly  worn  by  a  Hindu  wife;  cf.  Vikramorvasi,  act  3, 
stanza  12,  mahgalamdtrabhusand,  and  the  note  on  that  passage  by  Vaidya, 
p.150,  who  observes:  ‘They  are  a  red  mark  on  the  fore-head,  saffron 
besmeared  on  the  arms,  and  a  wreath  of  glass-beads  round  the  neck.’ 
They  are  discarded  when  she  becomes  a  widow.  On  the  subject  of 
ornaments  worn  by  women  in  India  see  Abbe  J.  A.  Dubois,  Hindu  Man¬ 
ners,  Customs,  and  Ceremonies,  tr.  H.  K.  Beauchamp,  1.335-338;  2. 353  n. 
2,356,  Oxford,  1897. 

6.  apandu -:  Lit.  ‘somewhat  pale’;  on  the  force  of  o-  in  such  com¬ 
pounded  adjectives  see  Whitney,  Skt.  Grammar,  §  1289b;  Wackernagel, 
Altindische  Grammatik,  2,  §  95,  p.  237. 

108 


ACT  TWO 


109 


7.  - pratastanendudyutim :  For  the  image,  cf.  Malatimadhava,  ed.  Telang, 
pp.  186-187,  Bombay,  1892;  Karpuramanjari,  ed.  Konow  and  Lanman,  pp. 
41,  246. 

8.  priyam :  That  is,  Queen  Vasavadatta,  to  whom  the  King  is  still 
devoted. 

9.  prathamanuraga-  .  .  .  iva:  Lit.  ‘as  if  possessing  the  state  produced 
by  first  affection/  Cf.  Schmidt,  Beitrage  zur  indischen  Erotik,  pp. 
96-120,  Leipzig,  1902;  2d  ed.,  pp.  83-99,  Berlin,  1911. — The  meter  of  the 
stanza  is  sardulavikridita. 

10.  -pancavedachatthaveda-:  The  multiplication  of  Vedas  here  seems 
to  be  simply  jocular. 

11.  agratah:  Observe  the  deference  shown  to  the  Jester  as  a 
Brahman. 

12.  parikramya :  The  stage  direction  indicates  that  the  scene  of  the 
action  is  supposed  to  be  shifted  to  the  garden;  cf.  Cimmino,  L’Uso  delle 
didascalie  nel  dramma  indiano,  p.  146,  Naples,  1912. 

13.  - siladaluc chang assa :  Cf.  VikramorvasI,  act  2,  after  stanza  7,  ed. 
Vaidya,  pp.  20-21,  where  such  a  stone  seat,  covered  with  fallen  blossoms, 
is  described. 

14.  -baiilamdladi-,  - bandhua - tamdla For  a  description  of  these 
plants  see  Introduction,  part  10. 

15.  sephdlikdndm :  For  a  description  of  this  flower  see  Introduction, 
part  10. 

16.  saptacchaddnam :  See  Introduction,  part  10.  For  a  similar  com¬ 
parison  of  the  perfume  of  this  tree,  also  called  saptaparna  (cf.  below),  see 
Raghuvamsa  4. 23. 

17.  gdyanty  .  .  .  kim  dpi:  Lit.  ‘sing  a  something  with  indistinct 
voice/ 

18.  Stanza  2:  With  the  description  of  the  garden  in  this  stanza  and 
in  the  preceding  speech  of  the  Jester  compare  Ratnavali,  act  1,  stanza  18 
and  the  prose  preceding  it,  although  the  season  there  described  is  spring, 
and  not  autumn,  as  here. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  sragdhard. 

19.  sattavanna-pdavo :  On  the  saptaparna  tree  see  above,  note  16. 

20.  sirtsa-:  On  this  flower  see  Introduction,  part  10. 

21.  indragopaka-:  Lit.  ‘having  Indra  as  its  protector/  the  designation 
of  the  insect  from  which  the  brilliant  scarlet  dyestuff  is  made. 

22.  bandhiika-'.  The  point  of  the  comparison  here  lies  in  the  redness 
of  the  bandhiika  flowers;  see  Introduction,  part  10. 


no 


NOTES 


23.  Stanza  3 :  This  stanza  furnishes  an  example  of  the  rhetorical 
figure  utpreksa ;  see  note  84  on  Act  1. — The  meter  is  sardulavikrldita. 

24.  hanje :  This  vocative  particle,  common  in  the  drama,  is  used  es¬ 
pecially  by  a  lady  in  addressing  a  female  attendant  or  maid-servant,  cf. 
DR.  2.104,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  77;  but  it  is  also  used  between  females  as 
equals,  see  below,  pp.  24,  32.  See  furthermore  the  citation  from  Amara 
(1.6. 15,  ed.  K.  G.  Oka,  p.  33,  Poona,  1913)  given  by  K.  in  his  note: 
handle  hanje  hald  ’ hvanam  mcdm  cetlm  sakhxm  prati. 

25.  aggho:  This  offering  (Skt.  argha,  arghya )  is  said  to  consist 
properly  of  eight  articles  (water,  milk,  durva-grass,  curds,  clarified  butter, 
rice,  grain,  with  some  cooked  articles),  but  sometimes  we  find  flowers 
included,  as  in  Yajnavalkya  1.289,  and  these  are  especially  indicated  here. 

26.  Agatthimahesino  :  On  this  deified  Rishi,  who  is  frequently  men¬ 
tioned  in  Sanskrit  literature,  see  Hopkins,  Epic  Mythology,  p.  185.  He 
is  identified  with  the  star  Canopus,  and  offerings  were  made  to  him  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  month  Bhadrapada  (August-September),  at  the 
time  of  the  heliacal  rising  of  this  star.  For  references  see  K.  Com.  ad 
loc.,  and  Varahamihira,  Brhatsamhita,  ch»  12,  tr.  Kern,  JRAS.  25  (1871), 
pp.  74-79,  esp.  st.  14-16.  Consult  particularly  also  note  36  on  Act  I. 

27.  Arannid :  Skt.  Aranyakd  (lit.  ‘Forest  One,’  ‘Sylvia’),  the  name 
by  which  the  heroine  is  known  at  the  court,  as  being  supposedly  the 
daughter  of  the  forest-king  Vindhyaketu.  Her  real  name,  Priyadarsika 
(or  Priyadarsana),  appears  later  in  the  play. 

28.  andzha  thidae :  For  the  use  of  the  verb  sthd  with  the  gerund  to 
express  the  idea  of  continued  action  see  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax,  §381. 

29.  varam  .  .  .  na  una :  On  this  construction  (lit.  ‘better  .  .  .  but 
not’)  see  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax,  §250. 

30.  jadhabhanidam  anucitthissani :  That  is,  commit  suicide.  Observe 
the  disconnected  sentences  in  this  entire  passage,  indicating  the  disturbed 
state  of  the  heroine’s  mind. 

31.  nanu  braznmi:  On  the  present  denoting  a  near  past,  when  used 
with  the  particle  nanu,  see  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax,  §325. 

32.  hamsa-:  The  word  ‘swan’  (rather  than  ‘flamingo’)  is  the  con¬ 
ventional  rendering  of  this  term,  which  designates  an  aquatic  bird  of  the 
goose  family;  see  the  article  by  C.  R.  Lanman,  JAOS.  19.151-158. 

33.  parimalapatund:  Lit.  ‘(with  perfume)  fragrance-keen.’ 

34.  Stanza  4:  Observe  that  the  lines  in  this  stanza  refer  successively 
to  the  senses  of  hearing,  sight,  smell,  and  touch,  as  indicated  in  the 
prose  passage  immediately  preceding. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is1 
sragdhara. 


ACT  TWO 


III 


35.  Stanza  5:  Notice  the  use  of  the  adjectives  in  a  double  sense. — The 
meter  of  the  stanza  is  Qrya. 

36.  kusuma-  .  .  .  -venimahuar  avail :  Lit.  ‘  possessing  a  cluster  of  bees 
on  the  tresses  (which  are  fragrant,  etc.).’ 

37.  -bahulada :  Lit.  1  creeper-like  arms  ’ ;  the  comparison  of  a  beautiful 
arm  to  the  stem  of  a  clinging  vine  is  one  of  the  commonplaces  in  Sanskrit 
literature;  cf.  Sakuntala  1.20  (21):  komalavitapanukdrinau  bdhii. 

38.  Ndga-kanyd :  In  classic  Sanskrit  mythology  the  Nagas,  or  ‘serpent- 
deities/  are  a  race  of  semi-divine  beings  inhabiting  the  subterranean 
region  of  Patala  (cf.  Act  1,  stanza  2).  They  are  represented  as  having 
a  human  form  combined  with  serpentine  characteristics,  especially  the 
expanded  hood  of  the  cobra;  cf.  Nagananda,  act  5,  stanza  27,  and  see  the 
painting  in  the  Ajanta  Caves,  cf.  John  Griffiths,  The  Paintings  in  the 
Buddhist  Cave-temples  of  Ajanta ,  vol.  1,  figs.  13,  15  (pp.  10,  11),  London, 
1896.  The  female  Nagas  are  noted  for  their  beauty. 

39.  drstam  .  .  .  mayd:  The  visit  of  Vatsaraja  to  the  Naga-world  is 
alluded  to  below  (cf.  note  55  on  Act  4)  and  is  described  in  Brhatkathaslo- 
kasamgraha  5.  112-151,  ed.  Lacote,  pp.  58-61,  Paris,  1908;  cf.  also  Brhat- 
kathamanjari,  2.  1.  56-60,  ed.  Sivadatta  and  Parab,  p.  38,  Bombay,  1901. 
See  also  Introduction,  part  5. 

40.  kuto  ’sti  3  dr  si  \  Lit.  ‘whence  is  there  such  a  one?’  The  rhetorical 
question  is  here  equivalent  to  a  strong  negative;  cf.  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax , 
§410. 

41.  Srir :  Sri,  or  LaksmI,  wife  of  Visnu,  is  the  goddess  of  fortune  and 
beauty,  and  is  conventionally  represented  as  holding  a  lotus  in  her  hand. 

42.  Stanza  6:  With  this  stanza  as  a  whole  compare  Nagananda  1. 15, 
in  which  the  sentiment  and  situation  are  similar. — The  meter  is  sardulavi- 
kridita. 

43.  kamalini:  This,  in  the  stage-direction,  as  well  as  the  following 
padma  and  nalini,  in  the  speech,  are  different  names  of  the  lotus,  Nelum- 
bium  speciosum ;  see  Introduction,  part  10. 

44.  srnumah :  Observe  the  plural  of  majesty,  as  also,  a  few  lines 
below,  musitdh  smo  and  pasyamah. 

45.  hald:  This  vocative  particle  is  used  between  females  of  equal 
station,  cf.  note  24,  above. 

46.  sumaravidawo :  This  repeats  the  King’s  command  as  given  in 
Act  1,  just  before  stanza  11. 

47.  nirdosadarsana  kanyakd :  For  this  expression  and  sentiment,  cf. 
Nagananda,  act  1,  p.  11 :  kanyakd  hi  nirdosadarsana  bhavanti. 


1 12 


NOTES 


48.  asambaddhappalavinie :  Cf.  asambaddhap palavinim  in  Sakuntala, 
act  1,  prose  after  stanza  27. 

49.  prftim  dadatya  drsa :  Lit.  ‘of  her  who  gives  pleasure  by  her 
glance’;  the  text  of  G.  has  drscim,  ‘giving  pleasure  to  the  eyes.’  The  par¬ 
ticiple  dadatya(s),  like  ydtdyd(s)  in  the  following  pada,  agrees  with 

asyas ,  gen.  sing.,  in  pada  c. 

/ 

50 . -ydtdyd  .  .  .  kdm  api:  Lit.  ‘  [of  her]  who  goes  to  a  certain  <  love¬ 
liness  through  the  slipping  bosom-robe  >  [even  as  the  moon  goes  to  a 
certain]  <  sightliness  through  the  drifting-away  cloud-veil  >.’ 

51.  tanor :  The  interpretation  of  this  word  is  somewhat  difficult;  K. 
Com.  glosses  by  murter,  lit.  ‘form’;  ‘the  body  of  the  moon’  is  probably 
to  be  understood  as  ‘  the  moon  itself.’  It  is  possible  to  interpret  as  an  ad¬ 
jective,  ‘slender  (i.e.  crescent)  moon’;  so  Strehly,  ‘la  lune  amincie.’ 

52.  Stanza  7:  The  meter  is  sardiilavikndita. 

53.  bhramarasambddhatn :  This  incident  of  the  bees  is  doubtless  imi¬ 
tated  from  Sakuntala,  act  1,  ed.  Pischel,  pp.  15-17;  ed.  Gaj  endragadkar, 
pp.  27-30. 

54.  avare:  Lit.  ‘other  bees’;  see  -mahuardvall,  above,  just  after 
stanza  5. 

55.  niluppala See  Introduction,  part  10. 

56.  gabbhaddsle  sudd :  See  note  52  on  Act  1,  above. 

57.  -dyatdksi :  Or,  ‘  with  thy  long  eyes  trembling  through  fear,’  since 
dyatdksl  and  its  synonyms  are  frequent  conventional  epithets;  so  K.  Com., 
dyate  dlrghe  aksinl  netre  yasyds. 

58.  Stanza  8:  K.  Com.  notes  here  the  rhetorical  figures  nidarsand 
and  bhrantimant,  the  former  being  a  comparison  based  upon  an  unreal 
connection  of  objects  with  an  implication  of  their  resemblance  (cf.  KP. 
pp.  744-747;  tr.  Jha,  pp.  218-219;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp.  56-57;  SD.  699,  cf.  ed. 
Kane,  notes,  pp.  156-160),  the  latter  being  a  figure  of  speech  in  which 
one  thing  is  mistaken  for  another  owing  to  a  close  resemblance  between 
the  two  (cf.  KP.  p.  892;  tr.  Jha,  p.  255;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp.  142-144;  SD. 
681,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  119-120). — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  mdlirii. 

59.  edctm  vuttantam :  Lit.  ‘  this  incident.’ 

60.  parinado  divaso :  Cf.  parinataprdyo  divasah,  below,  just  before 
stanza  10. 

61.  adisisiradae :  For  a  similar  ruse  on  the  part  of  the  heroine  to 
delay  her  departure  see  §akuntala,  act  1,  after  stanza  32,  ed.  Pischel,  p. 
27;  ed.  Gaj  endragadkar,  p.  44. 


ACT  TWO 


113 

62.  tathd  kurutah :  This  stage  direction  is  added  in  Gadre’s  text. 

63.  avighnam :  Cf.  Sakuntala,  act  3,  prose  near  end,  aho  vighnavatyah 
Prarthitasiddhayah,  ed.  Pischel,  p.  68;  ed.  Gajendragadkar,  p.  96. 

64.  kantakitam :  The  bristling  of  the  lotus  is  imagined  to  be  the  hor¬ 
ripilation,  or  thrill,  which  is  felt  at  the  touch  of  a  loved  one — a  con¬ 
ventional  symptom  of  erotic  sensation  in  Sanskrit  literature. 

65.  Stanza  9:  The  meter  is  dryd. 

66.  puttaliam  bhahjia:  This  proverb  is  equivalent  to  our  ‘crying  over 
spilt  milk’;  cf.  furthermore  Pischel,  Die  Heimat  des  Puppenspiels,  p.  7, 
Halle,  1900. 

67.  mukkhassa :  Cf.  above,  just  before  stanza  4,  where  the  King 
actually  addresses  the  Jester  as  ‘  fool/  as  he  does  also  in  Act  1,  after 
stanza  7. 

68.  hrtvd :  Perhaps  there  is  a  pun  here :  the  departing  day  ‘  takes 
away'  the  beauty  of  the  lotuses  through  their  closing  at  nightfall;  the 
departing  heroine,  through  her  ‘surpassing’  beauty  (cf.  stanza  5,  above). 

69.  rdgo  .  .  .  ’ dhikam  laksyate :  Lit.  ‘redness  (or  passion)  ...  is 
strongly  marked.’ 

70.  cakrdhvo :  The  cakrdhva,  or,  more  commonly,  cakravdka,  is  the 
Brahminy  duck,  or  ruddy  goose;  this  shy  bird  and  its  mate  are  frequently 
spoken  of  in  Sanskrit  poetry  as  condemned  to  pass  the  night  apart  and 
are  therefore  used  as  a  simile  for  separated  lovers ;  see  also  Gray,  ‘  The 
Viddhasalabhanjika  Translated/  in  JAOS.  27.  47  n.  1 ;  Lanman,  Karpura- 
manjari,  p.  262  n.  3. 

71.  disah :  There  is  a  double  meaning  here  in  dis,  lit.  ‘  cardinal 
point’  of  the  world,  but  figuratively  ‘point  of  view’;  compare  Act  4 
stanza  9,  jdtd  mama  ’ndhd  disah.  Recall  Gray’s  Elegy,  stanza  1,  ‘  And 
leaves  the  world  to  darkness  and  to  me.’ 

72.  Stanza  10:  Observe  the  succession  of  similes  ( upamd )  through¬ 
out  these  lines  (cf.  note  43  on  Act  1). — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is 
sardulavikrtdita. 


IS 


NOTES  ON  ACT  III 


1.  Komudxmahusave :  A  reference  to  the  grand  autumnal  celebration 
of  the  full  moon  in  Asvina-Karttika  (September-November)  ;  see  In¬ 
troduction,  part  4. 

2.  tumhehim:  The  plural  indicates  Manorama  and  the  others  of  the 
Queen’s  retinue. 

3.  Sahkiccdanle :  On  this  personage  see  below,  note  38. 

4.  sunnahiade :  For  a  similar  incident  compare  the  explanatory  scene 
of  act  3  of  VikramorvasI,  in  which  the  heroine  is  represented  as  having 
absent-mindedly  pronounced  in  a  play  the  name  of  her  lover  instead  of 
that  of  the  god  Visnu. 

5.  td :  Observe  this  frequent  colloquial  use  of  Prakrit  td  (cf.  Skt. 
tad),  Pischel,  Grammatik  der  Prakrit-Sprachen,  §425,  especially  in  ex¬ 
pressions  denoting  doubt  or  futurity,  e.g.  Act  2,  pages  20, 24, 32,  and 
often. 

6.  pravesaka :  For  a  definition  of  the  Introductory  Scene,  which  is 
designed  to  set  forth  events  that  have  occurred  between  the  acts,  see 
DR.  1.118,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  34. 

7.  pravisaty  dsanasthd:  Such  stage  directions  are  common  in  the 
Sanskrit  dramas,  as  they  are  in  the  Elizabethan.  Cf.  Cimmino,  UUso 
delle  didascalie,  pp.  193-195. 

8.  hiaa :  The  Prakrit  word  hiaa  is  here  masculine,  as  elsewhere  in 
soliloquies,  cf.  Pischel,  Gramm,  der  Prakrit-Sprachen,  §357. 

9.  dava:  Used  here,  as  often,  to  emphasize  the  future  tense,  cf.  note 
5,  just  above. 

10.  sajjhaveanam:  Lit.  ‘make  my  misery  having  pain  endurable,  as 
it  were’;  cf.  Sakuntala,  act  3,  after  stanza  12  (9),  ed.  Pischel,  p.  51 ;  ed. 
Gajendragadkar,  p.  80:  samvxbhattam  khu  dukkham  sajjhaveanam  bhodi. 

11.  adha  vd  atthi  me  hiaaniwisesd:  Lit.  ‘or  rather  there  is  Manorama, 
who  is  indistinguishable  from  my  heart.’ 

12.  bhlru  md  bhddhi:  The  reference  is  to  the  King’s  words  in  Act 
2,  stanza  8,  page  32,  and  to  the  situation  there. 

13.  sahipakkhavddini:  Lit.  ‘partial  to  your  friend.’ 

14.  kamalimbaddhanurao  vi  mahuaro :  Cf.  Malavikagnimitra,  act  3, 
ed.  in  Sri  Vani  Vilas  Sanskrit  Series,  p.  82,  Srirangam,  1908. 

114 


ACT  THREE 


115 

15.  saradadavena  samtappiddim  .  .  .  samtdvam:  The  ‘heat’  of  her 
passion  is  doubtless  also  implied  in  the  use  of  the  words  derived  from 
the  root  tap. 

16.  na  juttam  .  .  .  appd  pacchddidum :  Lit.  ‘it  is  not  proper  for  your¬ 
self  to  be  concealed  by  you’;  on  the  construction  see  Speijer,  Sanskrit 
Syntax,  §389. 

17.  nisdsanihaviniggado :  Lit.  ‘gone  forth  in  the  guise  of  sighs.’ 

18.  -kusumasara- :  Kama,  the  god  of  love,  is  often  referred  to  as 
the  one  ‘  whose  arrows  are  flowers.’ 

19.  nalimpattdim :  These  lotus  leaves,  used  for  cooling  purposes,  play 
a  part  again  below,  page  44;  cf.  also  Ratn.  2,  ed.  Godabole  and  Parab, 
p.  20. 

20.  avi  ndma  tadhd  bhave :  On  the  use  of  this  combination  of  par¬ 
ticles  with  the  optative  of  wish  see  Speijer,  Sanskrit  Syntax,  §343b,  and 
Apte,  Skt.-Eng.  Diet.  s.v.  api,  7. 

21.  Arannid:  There  is  here  a  play  on  the  name  Aranyaka,  ‘a  sylvan 
or  forest  maiden,’  something  like  ‘  Sylvia,  a  sylph.’ 

22.  Vdsavadatta-Padumavadinam  .  .  .  devlnam :  On  the  two  chief 
queens  of  Vatsaraja,  according  to  the  legend,  see  Kathasaritsagara, 
lambakas  2  and  3,  and  also  4.  21.  2-9,  tr.  Tawney,  1.  165.  According  to 
Kathasaritsagara,  tr.  Tawney,  1.301  (cf.  2.  483),  and  Brhatkathaslokasam- 
graha  4.  18  (ed.  Lacote,  p.  36),  however,  Vasavadatta  and  Padmavatl 
were  the  only  royal  consorts.  Consult  also  above,  Introduction,  part  5. 

23.  jahim  digghide  .  .  .  pekkhissam :  Lit.  ‘  where  at  the  pool  she  was 
seen,  this  too  now  I  shall  look  at  ’ ;  it  seems  best  thus  to  take  edam  pi 
(Skt.  etdm  api)  as  referring  to  the  pool  (Skt.  dirghika). 

24.  idha:  Instead  of  the  simple  iha  of  Krishnamachariar’s  text, 
Gadre  and  Vidyasagara  have  iha  vi  (=Skt.  ihd  ’pi),  which  is  here  fol¬ 
lowed. 

25.  adha  vd :  Lit.  ‘or  rather,’  an  expression  frequently  used  to  in¬ 
troduce  a  second  thought. 

26.  aham  de  jdndvemi  .  .  .  kassa  tumam  jdndvesi :  Manorama  means 
‘I  will  tell  to  you,’  but  the  Jester  misunderstands  the  remark  as  ‘I  will 
tell  on  you.* 

27.  jddisi  .  .  .  diunadara  .  .  .  avatthd :  Lit.  ‘what  plight  of  your  dear 
friend  ...  is  described  by  you,  double  as  much  as  that  is  the  plight  of 
my  dear  friend.’ 

28.  kim  cit  .  .  .  tifthati:  This  stage  direction  is  found  in  Gadre’s 
text. 


Ii6 


NOTES 


29.  karne  kathayati :  Observe  the  dramatic  device  here  employed  to 
avoid  anticipating  the  disclosure  of  the  plan  which  is  later  set  forth  by 
the  King  himself,  below,  p.  54.  A  similar  device  is  used  in  Act  4  after 
stanza  3,  page  78.  Cf.  also  Cimmino,  L’lJso  delle  didascalie,  p.  189. 

30.  apavarya:  Lit.  ‘turning  away  (others)  ’;  this  is  a  stage  direction 
of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  dramas  to  indicate  that  a  person  is  speaking 
‘apart,  aside  to  another’  (opposed  to  prakdsam,  ‘aloud’)  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  be  heard  only  by  the  person  addressed;  see  DR.  1. 127,  ed. 
and  tr.  Haas,  pp.  37-38,  and  Sahityadarpana  425,  ed.  Roer,  p.  170,  tr. 
Ballantyne  and  Mitra,  p.  224.  The  technical  gesture  to  indicate  this  is 
the  tripatakd  position  of  the  hand,  for  which  see  Coomaraswamy  and 
Duggirala,  Mirror  of  Gesture,  p.  27,  and  Cimmino,  L’Uso  delle  didascalie, 
pp.  144-145;  cf.  also  Haas,  op.  cit.,  p.  37,  note  on  DR.  1.126;  Levi,  Le 
Theatre  indien,  p.  61. 

31.  parikramya :  This  action  indicates  symbolically  a  change  of  scene 
from  the  garden  to  the  playhouse. 

32.  pekkhdgaram :  For  the  ‘  playhouse  ’  see  below,  note  45. 

33.  pravistakena :  Lit.  ‘with  [a  gesture  of]  entering.’ 

34.  aantawam :  On  the  use  of  the  gerund  to  denote  an  action  that  is 
necessarily  expected  see  Speijer,  Sanskrit  Syntax,  §357.3. 

35.  aho  de  kavittanam :  Lit.  ‘  Ah,  your  poetic  talent !  ’  The  inter¬ 
jection  aho  often  expresses  admiration  or  surprise. 

36.  bhaavadi:  This  term  (Skt.  bhagavati)  is  the  fern,  of  bhagavant, 
which  is  used  by  persons  of  superior  rank  in  addressing  learned  men 
and  ascetics ;  see  DR.  2.  100,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  76.  It  is  therefore  ap¬ 
propriately  applied  to  Sankrtyayani,  see  below,  note  38. 

37.  sdnubhavam  pi :  Lit.  ‘  although  {pi  =  api )  experienced  ’ ;  G.  text 
reads  via  ( =iva ),  i.e.  ‘dramatized  as  if  from  experience,’  but  this  seems 
less  satisfactory. 

38.  Sankrtyayani :  The  character  of  this  personage  is  not  very  clearly 
defined,  but  she  is  evidently  a  lady  of  high  position  and  learning,  for  she 
speaks  Sanskrit  and  is  treated  with  deference  by  the  Queen  (cf.  note  41), 
besides  being  the  authoress  of  the  Mimic  Play  (cf.  pages  39  and  47). 
Her  role  is  similar  to  that  of  the  parivrajika  (cf.  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien, 
p.358;  2.39)  who  appears  in  the  Malavikagnimitra.  A  female  ascetic 
named  Sankrtyayani  is  mentioned  as  a  friend  of  Vasavadatta  in  the 
Kathasaritsagara ;  see  Introduction  to  the  present  volume,  part  5. 

39.  dyusmati :  Lit.  ‘O  long-lived  one,’  a  term  of  respectful  address 
corresponding  to  masc.  dyusmant',  see  DR.  2.  101,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  76. 


ACT  THREE 


ii  7 

40.  srhgaratdm  bhasma :  An  allusion  to  the  common  Indian  custom 
of  ornamenting  the  head  and  body  of  an  elephant  with  stripes  and 
marks. — K.  Com.  sees  in  this  stanza  an  example  of  the  rhetorical  figure 
drstanta,  ‘  exemplification/  i.e.  a  sentence  in  which  the  second  clause 
reflects  the  first  through  their  possession  of  some  common  quality;  see 
KP.  pp.  773-775 ;  tr.  Jha,  p.225;  tr.  Chandorkar,  p.  70;  SD.  698,  cf.  ed. 
Kane,  notes,  pp.  154-156.  Perhaps,  however,  the  figure  is  rather  arthantara- 
nydsa,  ‘  corroboration,’  on  which  see  note  59  on  Act  4,  below. — The  meter  of 
this  stanza  is  aryd. 

41.  sawassa  vallaho  jamada  bhodi:  With  this  proverbial  expression 
compare  A.  Manwaring,  Marathi  Proverbs,  §  1417,  Oxford,  1899,  ‘  a 
mother-in-law  (is  lenient)  to  her  son-in-law.’  Evidently  Sankrtyayam’s 
position  at  the  court  was  one  of  such  dignity  that  the  Queen  could  speak 
of  her  affectionately  as  the  King’s  ‘mother-in-law.’  See  also  note  6  on 
Act  4. 

42.  bhattinl :  In  Sanskrit  dramas  bhattinl  (Prakrit  bhattinl )  is  often 
used  by  maidservants  in  addressing  a  queen  or  a  princess.  Cf.  Bharatlya- 
natyasastra  17. 86,  ed.  Sivadatta  and  Parab,  Bombay,  1894.  Observe  that 
the  maidservant  (cetl)  is  Indivarika,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
sentence  and  directly  below. 

42a.  preksanlyatd  preksdgrhasya :  Lit.  ‘the  spectacle  of  the  spectacle- 
house,’  with  an  obvious  play  on  words. 

43.  ratnasata-  .  .  .  ramyam :  Lit.  ‘  lovely  with  great  strings  of  pearls 
festooned  on  golden  columns,’  etc. 

44.  -Apsarobhih :  The  nymphs  of  Indra’s  heaven,  celebrated  for  their 
beauty  and  voluptuousness,  cf.  J.  Dowson,  Classical  Dictionary  of  Hindu 
Mythology,  pp.  19-20,  London,  1879. 

45.  preksdgrham :  This  word  has  been  literally  translated  ‘  playhouse/ 
although  it  indicates  not  so  much  a  theater  in  our  sense  of  the  term  as 
a  hall  of  the  palace,  usually  adjoining  the  zenana,  used  not  only  for 
dramatic  presentations  but  also  for  instruction  in  music,  singing,  and 
dancing.  The  present  stanza  is  a  stock  passage  for  the  description  of 
such  a  ‘playhouse’;  see  in  general  Levi,  Theatre  indien,  pp.  371-373  and 
appendix,  pp.  61-62 ;  cf .  also  Bharatiya-natyasastra,  ch.  2,  and  consult  the 
notes  by  Bloch,  ZDMG.  58. 455-457  (on  the  presumable  discovery  of  an 
ancient  Hindu  theater). — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  vasantatilakd. 

46.  samjhd :  In  India  the  twilight  is  short  and  darkness  falls  quickly. 
For  the  time-allusion  with  reference  to  the  action  of  the  play  see  Intro¬ 
duction,  part  4. 

47.  madahgapinaddhehim :  Lit.  ‘  attached  to  my  limbs,’  cf.  Ratnavali, 
act  3,  introd.,  jam  tde  pinaddham  nevattham  etc.,  ed.  Godabole  and  Parab, 
p.42. 


Ii8 


NOTES 


48.  Nalagiriggahanaparitutthena :  Regarding  the  story  about  this  ele¬ 
phant  see  Introduction,  part  5. 

49.  [Addressing  Sankrtyayanl]  :  As  shown  by  the  square  brackets, 
this  stage  direction  is  added  in  the  translation  to  explain  that  the  Queen 
offers  a  seat  to  Sankrtyayanl,  to  whom  great  deference  is  shown. 

50.  tatah  pravisati  .  .  .  kancuki :  Here  begins  the  Mimic  Play,  the 
technical  name  for  which  in  Sanskrit  dramaturgy  is  garbhanka  or  garbha- 
ndtaka,  lit.  ‘  embryo-act  ’  or  ‘  embryo-play,’  i.e.  interlude  or  play  within 
a  play.  See  the  general  discussion  by  Jackson,  ‘  Certain  Dramatic  Ele¬ 
ments  in  Sanskrit  Plays,  with  Parallels  in  the  English  Drama,’  in  Amer¬ 
ican  Journal  of  Philology,  19.242-24 7,  Baltimore,  1898  (reprinted  in  the 
present  volume  as  Appendix  to  the  Introduction)  ;  cf.  also  part  3  of  the 
Introduction. 

The  Chamberlain  who  appears  here  in  the  Mimic  Play,  as  the  cham¬ 
berlain  of  Mahasena,  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  chamberlain  of 
Drdhavarman  who  appears  in  Act  1  and  Act  4.  We  may  suppose  that 
the  character  in  this  scene  is  taken  by  one  of  the  personages  in  the  zenana 
of  Vatsaraja. 

51.  Kancuki :  We  have  here  not  the  beginning  of  the  Mimic  Play, 
because  a  part  of  that  had  been  produced  on  the  preceding  day  (see  In¬ 
troductory  Scene  of  this  Act,  page  39),  but  merely  the  opening  of  one 
of  its  acts.  A  chamberlain  similarly  appears  in  the  Preliminary  Scene  of 
Nagananda,  act  4,  where  the  following  stanza  is  likewise  found. 

52.  dandanltya :  The  ‘  staff  ’  of  the  Chamberlain  is  not  merely  a  cane 
for  support,  but  also  a  symbol  of  office,  cf.  Sakuntala,  act  5,  stanza  1  (3). 
In  the  secondary  meaning  of  dandanlti,  ‘administration  of  justice,’  there 
appears  to  be  also  a  punning  allusion  to  works  on  Nltisdstra,  ‘  Science  of 
Administration,’  such  as  the  famous  Arthasastra  of  Canakya  (Kautilya) 
and  the  Nitisara  of  Kamandaka. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  (=Nagan.  4.  1) 
is  upajati. 

53.  yathdrthandmnd i  Mahasenena :  Lit.  ‘  rightly  named  Mahasena, 
“  whose  army  is  great.”  ’  Regarding  Mahasena,  who  was  the  father  of 
Vasavadatta,  see  Introduction,  part  5. 

54.  Udayanotsavam :  This  festival  would  appear  to  have  been  in¬ 
stituted  to  celebrate  the  capture  of  Udayana  or  some  such  event. 

55.  Manmathodydnam :  For  a  fanciful  name  of  a  garden  cf.  also 
Ratnavali,  act  1,  after  stanza  17  (ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  2d  ed.,  p.  9), 
Makarandodyana,  ‘the  Nectar  Garden.’ 

56.  karnaih  .  .  .  karaih :  In  the  translation  the  order  of  these  ex¬ 
pressions  has  been  transposed  so  as  to  bring  the  enumeration  of  the 
adornments  into  a  more  natural  sequence,  from  which  the  author  may 
have  departed  for  metrical  reasons. 


ACT  THREE 


119 

57.  svastikair :  Regarding  this  symbol  in  general  see  H.  K.  Deb,  ‘  The 
Svastika  and  Omkara,’  Journ.  and  Proc.  As.  Soc.  of  Bengal,  n.s.,  1921,  pp. 
231-244;  Thomas  Wilson,  ‘The  Swastika,’  Report  of  the  U.  S.  National 
Museum,  1894,  pp.  757-1011,  Washington,  1896. 

58.  Stanza  4:  With  this  stanza  as  a  whole  may  be  compared  the 
description  of  the  adornment  of  the  heroine  in  Karpuramanjari,  act  2, 
stanzas  12-21,  ed.  Konow  and  Lanman,  pp.  46-48,  249-251. — The  meter  of 
the  stanza  is  sardulavikridita. 

59.  djhdsesam :  ‘  the  rest  of  the  command  ’  refers  to  the  directions 
given  below  (page  53)  to  appear  at  the  festival  with  her  lute  newly 
strung. 

60.  gandharvasdldm :  On  the  ‘  music  room  ’  in  general  see  note  45, 
above.  This  same  term  is  used  in  the  narrative  of  Udayana’s  wooing 
in  Kathasaritsagara  12.31,  tr.  Tawney,  1.73. 

61.  vind- :  The  ‘  lute  ’  is  a  classical  Hindu  stringed  instrument  having 
a  large  pea-shaped  bowl  hollowed  out  of  one  piece  of  wood,  a  body  of 
thin  wood,  a  neck  with  tuning-pegs,  and  metallic  strings;  to  the  under 
side  of  the  body,  just  below  the  neck,  there  is  attached  a  hollow  gourd, 
which  increases  the  resonance  and  serves  also  as  a  rest  for  the  instru¬ 
ment.  For  a  detailed  description  of  the  vind  and  the  modes  of  tuning 
it  see  H.  A.  Popley,  The  Music  of  India,  pp.  102-105,  Calcutta  (and  Lon¬ 
don),  1921;  cf.  also  A.  H.  Fox  Strangways,  The  Music  of  Hindostan,  pp. 
78-79,  86-88,  Oxford,  1914;  Francis  Fowke,  ‘The  Vina,  or  Indian  Lyre/ 
reprinted  from  Asiatick  Researches,  vol.  1,  in  Sourindro  Mohun  Tagore, 
Hindu  Music  from  Various  Authors,  2d  ed.,  Calcutta,  1882. 

62.  Kahcanamdld:  This  role  in  the  Mimic  Play  is  taken  by  Kancana- 
mala  herself,  for  she  not  only  figures  in  the  Udayana  story  as  the  at¬ 
tendant  of  Vasavadatta  at  the  court  of  Mahasena  (see  Introduction, 
part  5),  but  appears  also  in  Act  4  of  this  drama  as  still  in  the  Queen’s 
retinue. 

63.  ekko  ummatto :  There  is  doubtless  an  allusion  here  to  the  incident 
of  Yaugandharayana,  the  devoted  follower  of  Vatsaraja,  who  assumes 
the  disguise  of  a  madman  in  order  to  effect  his  master’s  release  from 
captivity,  see  Kathasaritsagara  12. 51-67,  tr.  Tawney,  1.74-75,  and  es¬ 
pecially  act  3  of  Bhasa’s  Pratijnayaugandharayana  (ed.  T.  Ganapati  Sastri, 
in  Trivandrum  Sanskrit  Series).  Cf.  also  Introduction,  part  5. 

64.  sarisd  sarise  rajjanti  tti :  Somewhat  similar  is  the  expression  in 
Karpuramanjari,  act  3,  stanza  6,  rajjanti  ched  samasamgamammi,  ‘men  of 
sense  are  pleased  to  see  like  meet  with  like,’  ed.  and  tr.  Konow  and 
Lanman,  pp.  74, 266;  K.  Com.  recalls  Sakuntala,  act  5,  after  stanza  21, 
savvo  sagandhe  visasadi,  jado  duve  vi  tumhe  drannakdo  tti ,  ‘  every  one 


120 


NOTES 


trusts  in  his  like,  so  the  two  of  you  are  foresters/  ed.  Pischel,  p.  106;  ed. 
Gajendragadkar,  p.  154. 

65.  [Addressing  Vasavadatta]  :  This  stage  direction  has  been  added 
in  the  translation  in  order  to  show  that  the  remark  is  addressed  to  the 
Queen. 

66.  Ghosavati :  Lit.  ‘  possessing  sound,  resonant  ’ ;  this  is  the  name 
of  Udayana’s  marvelous  lute,  which  he  received  from  the  Nagas,  or 
Snake  Deities;  see  Kathasaritsagara  9.  80;  111.  82;  tr.  Tawney,  1.  55;  2. 
483;  also  Brhatkathaslokasamgraha  5.138-151,  ed.  Lacote,  pp.  60-61. 
Consult  also  Introduction,  part  5. 

67.  java  se  tantio :  Gadre’s  text  here  inserts  se,  ‘  its/  which  K.  omits, 
although  reading  asyds  in  the  Sanskrit  gloss  of  the  Prakrit. — This  ex¬ 
amination  of  the  strings  allows  time  for  the  ensuing  dialogue  between  the 
participants  in  the  intrigue. 

68.  svagatam :  With  reference  to  this  ‘aside’  we  must  assume  a  three¬ 
fold  grouping  here  of  the  characters:  (1)  those  taking  part  in  the  Mimic 
Play  (Aranyaka  and  Kancanamala)  ;  (2)  those  watching  as  spectators 
(Vasavadatta,  SankrtyayanI,  and  retinue)  ;  (3)  the  participants  in  the 
intrigue  (Manorama  and,  directly  afterwards,  the  King  and  the  Jester). 
Regarding  the  entry  of  the  King  with  his  body  wrapt  in  a  mantle  it  may 
be  noted  that  the  commentator  Dhanika  on  DR.  2. 82  (cf.  ed.  Haas,  pp. 
69-70)  cites  this  scene  as  an  illustration  of  narmagarbha,  ‘  development  of 
affection  through  the  coming  up  of  the  hero  in  disguise/ 

69.  samtdpam  prathamam :  Lit.  ‘  first  distress/  which  might  be  in¬ 
terpreted  as  ‘extreme’  (so  Strehly,  ‘  mon  principal  tourment ’)  but  K. 
Com.  glosses  by  purvam,  ‘  former/  which  is  preferable. 

70.  Stanza  5 :  The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  sardulavikndita. 

71.  satyam  evo  ’ktam  Manoramayd :  See  above,  page  45,  and  compare 
note  29. 

72.  samdgamotsavam :  There  may  here  be  a  covert  allusion  to  the 
KaumudI  Festival  ( utsava ),  which  was  made  the  occasion  of  the  drama 
itself;  cf.  the  Introductory  Scene  of  this  Act,  page  39. 

73.  pattidasi :  G.  has  Prakrit  pattiaasi,  Skt.  pratydyasi ;  K.  reads  pat- 
tiesi  =  Skt.  pratyesi;  in  either  case  compare  the  usage  of  English  (Latin) 

‘  ac-cede.’ 

74.  garuada :  Lit.  ‘O  the  weightiness  of  the  matter!’ 

75.  citrasdlam :  The  context  shows  that  the  picture  gallery  in  this 
instance  is  supposed  to  adjoin  the  concert  room.  Halls  or  pavilions 
adorned  with  frescoes  are  elsewhere  mentioned  in  the  Sanskrit  dramas, 


ACT  THREE 


12 1 


e.g.  Malavikagnimitra,  act  i,  ed.  in  Sri  Vani  Vilas  Skt.  Series,  p.  8,  Sri- 
rangam,  1908;  Uttararamacarita,  act  1;  and  Rajasekhara’s  Viddhasa- 
labhanjika,  act  1,  tr.  Gray,  JAOS.  27.21-24;  cf.  also  Mrs.  Virginia 
Saunders,  JAOS.  39.  299-302.  Note  esp.  Ratn.  3,  pp.  41,  48. 

76.  tado :  That  is,  Mahasena,  the  father  of  Vasavadatta,  whose  role 
Aranyaka  is  taking. 

77.  avaharedi :  Here  in  the  sense  of  ‘  transports/  which  the  King  in 
the  following  stanza  (st.  6)  takes  in  the  sense  of  ‘carrying  away’  Vasa¬ 
vadatta. 


78.  pravisya :  This  means  ‘  entering  ’  as  a  character  in  the  Mimic 
Play;  see  note  68,  above. 

79.  patdksepena :  This  is  the  well-known  technical  stage-direction  to 
denote  the  hurried  entrance  of  a  character  under  strong  emotion;  cf. 

*  Cimmino,  L’Uso  delle  didascalie,  pp.  70-71 ;  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien,  p.  374. 

80.  grathitam  badhnati:  This  is  a  custom  still  prevailing  in  India 
(like  our  custom  of  tying  a  knot  in  a  handkerchief)  when  one  wishes 
to  remind  oneself  of  a  purpose  definitely  undertaken ;  cf.  Gadre,  notes, 
p.  18,  who  observes  that  such  a  knot  is  called  sakuntagdntha. 

81.  Pradyota :  This  is  another  name  of  Mahasena;  see  Introduction, 
part  5. 

82.  Stanza  6 :  The  meter  of  this  stanza  is  aryd,  but  the  rhythmical 
structure  of  the  whole  second  hemistich  is  corrupt;  consequently  the 
rendering  of  na  cirad  eva  pasydmy  aham  is  open  to  question.  The  printed 
texts  and  the  India  Office  manuscript,  fol.  89b,  which  was  examined  by  Dr. 
C.  J.  Ogden  in  1910,  show  no  variant  except  the  unimportant  variation 
upahardmi  for  apahardmi  in  the  ms.  and  in  V. 

83.  Yaugandhardyanena :  This  is  the  minister  and  devoted  follower 
of  Vatsaraja,  who  appears  as  a  character  in  the  Ratnavali ;  the  story  of 
his  devices  to  rescue  Vatsaraja  from  captivity  is  narrated  in  Katha- 
saritsagara,  tarangas  12-13,  and  forms  the  subject  of  Bhasa’s  drama,  the 
Pratijnayaugandharayana.  See  also  note  63,  above,  and  Introduction, 
part  5. 

84.  preksaniyakam :  Cf.  the  similar  point  made  in  the  dialogue  below, 
page  65.  Observe  the  dramatic  device  by  which  one  of  the  characters 
makes  the  ‘  mistake  ’  ( sambhrarna )  of  confusing  the  Mimic  Play  with 
reality.  See  Rajasekhara’s  Balaramayana,  act  3,  ed.  G.  D.  §astri,  p.  78; 
cf.  Jackson,  ‘  Certain  Dramatic  Elements  in  Sanskrit  Plays/  AJP.  19.  246 
(reprinted  in  the  present  volume  as  Appendix  to  the  Introduction). 

85.  tan  .  .  .  idam :  Lit.  ‘This  ( idant ,  i.e.  Manorama’s)  is  that  (tad, 
i.e.  Vatsaraja’s)  form  .  .  .,  [this]  the  very  ( sa  eva )  .  .  .  raiment.’  So 


122 


NOTES 


likewise  sd  .  .  .  iyam  in  pada  2  of  the  stanza.  Observe  the  repetition  of 
the  demonstrative  pronoun  throughout,  and  cf.  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax,  §§  271, 
277. 

86.  mattadmrada- :  Lit.  ‘the  must  elephant,  in  rut.’ 

87.  sattvam:  This  interpretation  as  ‘dignity’  (cf.  K.  Com.  sattvam~ 
avastambhah)  seems  preferable  to  taking  the  word  in  its  ordinary  sense 
of  ‘goodness,  excellence,’  as  the  whole  stanza  lays  emphasis  on  external 
qualities. 

88.  Stanza  7:  The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  sardulavikndita. 

89.  muncemi  tti:  See  above,  page  55. 

90.  [Soliloquizing]  :  This  stage  direction,  as  is  indicated  by  the 
square  brackets,  is  not  in  the  Sanskrit  text,  but  has  been  inserted  in 
the  translation  in  order  to  indicate  that  this  speech,  which  belongs  to 
the  action  of  the  Mimic  Play,  is  not  heard  by  Aranyaka  and  Kancana- 
mala. 

91.  gaanam:  So  K.  Com.,  gaganam  — dkdsam  and  gaganasadrsam 
tamasd  nllam  cdrakam.  But  we  could  also  render  in  the  paronomasiac  sense 
‘seeing  [the  view  of]  the  sky  obstructed  by  prison  walls.’ 

92.  ghanabandhana- :  For  a  similar  play  on  words  compare  Act  1, 
stanza  5,  page  8. 

93 . -Manasam:  name  of  a  sacred  lake  on  the  fabled  Mount  Kailasa 
(cf.  Act  1,  note  4),  to  which  the  ‘swans’  (cf.  Act  2,  note  32)  migrate  at 
the  breeding  season  or,  as  here  indicated,  at  the  time  of  the  monsoon. 
The  Manasarowar  Lakes  in  Southern  Tibet,  the  sources  of  the  Sutlej, 
still  preserve  the  name. 

94.  Stanza  8:  Throughout  this  stanza  observe  the  play  on  words 
( Mesa ).  K.  Com.  sees  here  also  an  instance  of  the  rhetorical  figure 
aprastutaprasamsd,  ‘  indirect  description,’  i.e.  the  implication  of  one  sub¬ 
ject  by  the  description  of  another;  see  KP.  pp.  750-761 ;  tr.  Jha,  pp.  219- 
223 ;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp.  59-65 ;  SD.  706,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  188-193. — 
For  a  similar  pun  on  Manasa  see  Ratn.  2,  st.  8,  p.  29. — The  meter  of  this 
stanza  is  giti,  which  is  a  favorite  meter  for  Prakrit  stanzas. 

95.  nidrdm :  In  the  Hindu  drama  there  are  frequent  allusions  to  the 
Jester’s  predilection  for  sleep.  For  other  instances  of  sleeping  on  the 
stage  see  Gray,  JAOS.  27.  56,  n.  5  (on  Viddhasalabhanjika,  act  4),  and  cf. 
the  notable  scene  in  the  fifth  act  of  Bhasa’s  Svapnavasavadatta,  ed.  T. 
Ganapati  §astri,  pp.  61-65,  2d  ed.,  Trivandrum,  1915  (Trivandrum  Skt. 
Series,  no.  15)  ;  tr.  Jacobi,  in  Int.  Monatsschrift  fur  IViss.,  Kunst  u.  Technik, 
7,  cols.  680-682,  Berlin,  1913;  tr.  A.  Baston,  pp.  92-95,  Paris,  1914;  tr. 
Shirreff  and  Lall,  pp.  39-41,  Allahabad,  1918.  According  to  SD.  278  sleeping 
on  the  stage  is  forbidden. 

96.  mahuarid :  The  dramatist,  like  other  poets  of  ancient  and  medieval 
times,  here  betrays  a  lack  of  scientific  knowledge  of  bees,  because  the 
honey-gatherers,  or  ‘  workers,’  are  sexually  undeveloped. 


ACT  THREE 


123 


97.  Stanza  9:  This  stanza  also  is  an  instance  of  the  rhetorical  figure 
aprastutaprasamsd ;  see  note  94,  above. — The  meter  is  ary  a. 

98.  ’pi:  On  this  use  of  api  with  numerals  see  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax, 
§298. 

99.  Stanza  10:  In  this  stanza  the  King  describes  the  proficiency  of 
the  princess  in  music  in  rather  technical  language,  for  some  of  the  terms 
of  which  there  are  no  proper  English  equivalents.  Cf.  Gadre,  notes, 
pp.  19-20,  and  the  Skt.  comment  in  Krishnamachariar’s  edition,  pages 
59-60. — This  stanza  occurs  also  in  Nagananda,  act  1,  stanza  14.  The  com¬ 
mentary  of  Sivarama  on  the  Nagananda  passage,  see  Nagan.,  ed.  T.  Ganapati 
Sastri,  pp.  56-58,  Trivandrum,  1917  (Trivandrum  Skt.  Series,  no.  59),  offers 
perhaps  the  best  elucidation  of  the  technical  terms.  ‘  The  distinguishing  ’ 

( vyanjana )  is  one  of  the  four  modes  ( dhatu )  of  playing  the  lute,  cf. 
Bharatlya-natyasastra  29.  52;  and  its  ten  forms  are  characterized  especially 
by  the  different  positions  of  the  fingers,  cf.  ibid.  29.  65-71.  To  the  three 
divisions  of  tempo  (lay a),  allegro,  moderato,  and  adagio,  correspond  the 
three  pauses  samd,  srotogatd,  and  gopuccha  respectively,  of  which  the  last 
is  here  mentioned  as  typical,  cf.  also  Bharatlya-natyasastra  31.  331-333.  For 
the  three  styles  of  instrumental  accompaniment  see  ibid.  2Q.  78-80. — The 
meter  of  the  stanza  is  sardulavikndita. 

100.  uvajjhaapidhiae :  Lit.  ‘teacher’s  settee’;  observe  the  dramatic  de¬ 
vice  of  having  Aranyaka  share  in  the  King’s  seat,  which  results  ultimately 
in  the  discovery  of  the  intrigue. 

101.  upavisatv  arhe  ’yam:  Lit.  ‘let  this  one  here  sit  down  as  worthy 
of  the  half-seat.’ 

102.  sthiyatdm:  See  note  65  on  Act  1. 

103.  salajjam :  Lit.  ‘  with  a  feeling  of  shame,  or  modesty.’ 

104.  aggahatthd:  In  Sanskrit,  agrahasta,  lit.  ‘fore-hand,’  can  mean 
either  ‘  fingers  ’  or  ‘  hand  ’ ;  cf.  aggahattho  directly  below,  and  also  agga- 
hattham  in  Act  4,  page  90. 

105.  padmakoso :  Aranyaka’s  hand,  with  its  fingers  closed  like  petals 
and  moistened  by  beads  of  perspiration,  is  compared  to  the  lotus-bud 
cooled  by  drops  of  dew. 

106.  Stanza  11:  K.  Com.  draws  attention  to  the  rhetorical  figure 
utpreksd,  ‘poetic  fancy’  (see  note  84  on  Act  1)  combined  with  the  two 
rhetorical  figures  samdeha,  ‘  hesitation,’  and  apahnava,  ‘  concealment,’  i.e. 
when  the  matter  in  hand  is  denied  and  something  else  is  affirmed  in  its 
stead.  For  samdeha  see  KP.  p.  713 ;  tr.  Jha,  p.  212 ;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp. 
38-41;  SD.  680,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  117-119.  For  apahnava  =  apa- 
hnuti  see  KP.  p.  735;  tr.  Jha,  pp.  216-217;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp.  51-53;  SD. 
683-684,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  125-127. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is 
sragdhard. 


124 


NOTES 


107.  -apaharadaksena:  The  hand  of  the  heroine,  by  its  beauty,  is 
conceived  of  as  ‘  robbing,’  i.e.  surpassing  that  of  the  lotuses.  For  some¬ 
what  similar  conceits  compare  Act  2,  stanza  5,  page  27,  and  Act  2,  before 
stanza  7,  page  31. 

108.  Stanza  12:  With  this  stanza  the  action  of  the  Mimic  Play  breaks 
off. — K.  Com.  draws  attention  to  the  rhetorical  figures  upama,  ‘  simile,’ 
and  parikara,  ‘  significator,’  i.e.  description  by  the  use  of  significant 
epithets.  On  upama  see  note  43  on  Act  1 ;  on  parikara  consult  KP.  p. 
850;  tr.  Jha,  p.244;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp.  116-118;  SD.  704,  cf.  ed.  Kane, 
notes,  pp.  180-182. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  dryd. 

109.  dtmagatam :  This  word,  which  is  only  in  the  text  of  K.,  but 
not  in  that  of  G.  or  V.,  is  required  by  the  context. 

no.  anattham  .  .  .  karenti :  Lit.  ‘do  something  unmeaning,’  i.e.  act 
strangely. 

in.  Gandharvo  vivdhah:  This  marriage  is  effected  merely  by  mutual 
consent,  and  is  one  of  the  eight  forms  of  marriage  recognized  by  the 
ancient  Hindu  law.  It  was  considered  as  especially  appropriate  in  the 
Ksatriya  caste.  See  Asvalayana-grhyasutra  1.6.5;  Manusmrti  3.26,32; 
Nagananda,  act  2,  p.  38;  Sakuntala,  act  3,  stanza  28  (22). 

1 12.  cittasdladuvdre  pasutto :  See  notes  7 5  and  95,  above. 

113.  sdhu  .  .  .  naccidam :  This  is  an  ironical  repetition  of  Vasava- 
datta’s  remark  above,  before  stanza  7,  page  5 7. 

1 14.  mukkhanigghosa-:  Perhaps  this  is  a  jocular  allusion  to  the 
Jester’s  having  snored ! 

115.  kahim  .  .  .  kahim :  Lit.  ‘where  Aranyaka,  where  Vasantaka?’ 
For  this  idiom  cf.  Skt.  kutra  .  .  .  kva,  see  PWb.  s.v.  kutra,  3.  Similarly 
in  Modern  Persian,  kujd  .  .  .  kujd,  lit.  ‘where?  .  .  .  where?’  at  the  end 
of  each  of  two  irreconcilable  questions  which  have  nothing  in  common; 
cf,  Steingass,  Pers.-Eng.  Diet.  p.  1016. 

116.  pekkhamam  se :  There  is  here  apparently  a  punning  reminis¬ 
cence  of  the  ‘  play,  spectacle.’ 

1 17 .  padihadam:  Lit.  ‘has  been  averted.’  This  is  a  common  ex¬ 
pression  equivalent  to  ‘  God  forbid !  ’  The  evil  omen  here  is  that  the 
King  has  been  fettered  with  a  chain  of  blue  lilies ;  see  page  57,  directly 
after  stanza  7. 

118.  Stanza  13:  In  this  stanza,  with  its  graphic  description  of  re¬ 
pressed  anger  (somewhat  similar  to  the  last  stanza  of  the  second  act  of 
Ratn.,  p.  39),  K.  Com.  finds  an  exemplification  of  the  rhetorical  figure 
anumdna,  ‘inference,’  i.e.  statement  of  a  premise  and  its  logical  conclusion, 
on  which  see  KP.  pp.  847-849 ;  tr.  Jha,  pp.  243-244;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp. 


ACT  THREE 


125 


114-116;  SD.  711,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  212-215.— The  meter  of  the 
stanza  is  sardulavikridita. 

119.  genha  nam:  With  this  situation  compare  the  end  of  act  3  of  the 
Ratnavali  (ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  pp.  57-58),  where  Sagarika  and  the 
Jester  are  similarly  treated. 

120.  Komudimahusave :  See  above,  page  39,  and  cf.  the  discussion  of 
the  time  allusions,  Introduction,  part  4. 

121.  cittam  avaharidum :  The  Jester’s  excuse  is  caught  up  by  the 
King  in  the  last  line  of  the  stanza  following. 

122.  bhrubhangaih  .  .  .  kalanko :  Lit.  ‘  wherefore  is  there  a  spot  of 
thy  brow-moon  made  by  frowns?’ 

123.  bandhujiva-:  Another  name  of  the  bandhuka-ft. ower;  see  In- 
troduction,  part  10. 

124.  Stanza  14:  The  meter  is  sardulavikridita. 

125.  ekam  .  .  .  aparam:  These  words  agree  with  mukham. 

126.  Stanza  15:  K.  Com.  notes  in  this  stanza  the  rhetorical  device 
bhdvasabalatd ,  ‘  variegation  of  emotions  or  sentiments,’  on  which  see  KP. 
pp.  147-151 ;  tr.  Jha,  pp.  40-41 ;  SD.  249,  754,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  p.  302. — 
The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  sardulavikridita. 

127.  devydh  prasddanopayam  cintaydmi:  Cf.  the  ending  of  act  3  of 
the  Ratnavali,  devim  eva  prasadayitum  abhyantaram  pravisdmi,  ed.  Goda¬ 
bole  and  Parab,  p.  58. 

128.  trtlyo  ’nkah:  The  text  of  G.  adds  here  iti  garbhandtakam,  ‘here 
endeth  the  play  within  a  play.’ 


NOTES  ON  ACT  IV 


1.  ettiam  kdlam :  With  reference  to  the  time-allusion  see  Introduc¬ 
tion,  part  4. 

2.  vdvddaantl :  This  statement  gives  a  hint  to  prepare  for  Aranyaka’s 
taking  poison  later  in  the  Act. 

3.  avi  jdndsi:  At  the  beginning  of  a  sentence  avi  (Skt.  api )  is  com¬ 
mon  in  questions;  cf.  Act  1,  page  12,  after  stanza  8,  and  see  Speijer, 
Sanskrit  Syntax,  §  412. 

4.  leho :  On  the  use  of  letters  as  a  dramatic  device  in  the  dramas 
of  Kalidasa  see  Jackson,  ‘  Certain  Dramatic  Elements  in  Sanskrit  Plays,’ 
AJP.  19.  252-254,  Baltimore,  1898. 

5.  Angdravadie:  She  is  the  mother  of  Vasavadatta,  and  wife  of 
Mahasena-Pradyota,  king  of  Ujjain;  see  Kathasaritsagara  2. 11.39,  tr. 
Tawney,  1.69;  cf.  also  Bhasa’s  Pratijnayaugandharayana,  act  2,  ed.  T. 
Ganapati  Sastrl,  pp.  27-38,  Trivandrum,  1912;  also  act  4,  ibid,  p .72. 

6.  bhdinia  .  .  .  tuha  jananl  .  .  .  tado :  The  rendering  of  this  vexing 
passage,  as  given  in  the  translation,  is  the  only  one  that  conforms  to  the 
data  of  the  Udayana  story  that  Vasavadatta’s  parents  were  Mahasena- 
Pradyota  and  Angaravati;  consequently  the  unnamed  wife  of  Drdhavar- 
man  is  her  aunt,  and  Drdhavarman  himself  is  her  uncle  by  marriage  (cf. 
mdtrsvasrpatim,  below,  page  72),  and  they  might  be  termed  her  mother 
and  father  respectively — a  mode  of  expression  still  current  in  the 
Orient. 

7.  samvaccharo  Kalingahadaena :  See  Act  1,  page  9,  and  on  the  time- 
allusion  see  Introduction,  part  4. 

8.  pravesakah :  See  note  6  on  Act  3. 

9.  mdtrsvasrpatim :  That  is,  Drdhavarman ;  see  note  6,  above. 

10.  jassa  .  .  .  kajjam :  Lit.  ‘  of  whom  there  is  no  concern  with  me,  of 
him  what  concern  is  there  with  mine  ?  ’ 

11.  ajjuae :  This  Prakrit  word  undoubtedly  means  ‘mother’;  see 
below,  page  90,  hd  tddch ,  hd  ajjue,  and  cf.  Sakuntala,  act  7,  ed.  Pischel, 
pp.  160,  161 ;  ed.  Gajendragadkar,  pp.  228,  229. 

12.  mama:  So  the  text  of  K.,  which  is  better  than  the  reading  of  G., 
mae,  which,  as  an  instrumental,  would  require  a  different  rendering :  ‘  it 

126 


ACT  FOUR 


127 


is  proper  for  me  to  write  this  to  my  mother  ’ ;  both  the  context  and  the 
word-order  are  against  this. 

13.  kriditam :  Observe  that  Sankrtyayanl  echoes  the  expression  of 
the  King  in  Act  3,  stanza  14  d,  page  69. 

14.  hasida  mhi :  Note  the  play  on  the  causative  form  hasayati,  which 
means  both  ‘  cause  to  laugh  *  and  ‘  cause  to  be  laughed  at.’ 

15.  muhca:  Observe  the  word-play  in  connection  with  the  preceding 
mocayitum. 

16.  kujja-vamana-vuddhakahcui:  These  are  the  usual  male  attendants 
in  the  zenana;  cf.  Manusmrti  7.62  (bkirun)  ;  Arthasastra  1. 17,  ed.  R. 
Shama  Sastry,  p.  42,  Mysore,  1919;  tr.  id.,  p.  46,  Bangalore,  1915;  and  esp. 
Ratn.  2.  3,  ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  p.  21.  It  would  be  possible  to  render 
kahcui  by  the  plural,  ‘  aged  chamberlains,’  but  there  appears  to  be  only 
one  in  charge  of  the  zenana;  cf.  Act  3,  stanza  3,  page  49. 

17.  devi  candi :  There  is  here  a  play  on  the  word  candi,  ‘wrathful,' 
which  is  also  a  name  of  Durga,  wife  of  Siva,  the  favor  of  which  relent¬ 
less  goddess  is  to  be  obtained  by  fasting  and  bloody  sacrifices ;  cf.  Quacken- 
bos,  The  Sanskrit  Poems  of  Mayura  .  .  .  and  B ana’s  Candisataka,  pp. 
247-259. 

18.  vihasan :  Lit.  ‘  laughing  gently,’  cf.  DR.  4.  83,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  pp. 
143-144,  madhurasvaram  vihasitam,  ‘  laughing  is  making  a  soft  sound.’ 

19.  cdtusata -:  Cf.  Bhartrhari,  Nltisataka  31. 

20.  krtShjalir:  Lit.  ‘having  made  the  anjali-gesture,’  which  consists 
in  placing  the  hollowed  hands  together  before  the  face.  Cf.  Coomara- 
swamy  and  Duggirala,  Mirror  of  Gesture,  p.  39,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1917. 

21.  Stanza  1 :  The  meter  is  sardulavikridita. 

22.  mama :  K.  Com.  glosses  by  madvisaye,  ‘  in  my  case,’  which  is 
preferable  to  taking  mama  as  dependent  upon  the  following  vocative. 

23.  tantamadhye :  Lit.  ‘  O  weary-waisted  one  ’ ;  K.  Com.  explains : 
‘  wearied  through  the  non-endurance  of  the  fatigue  of  rising  on  account 
of  slenderness.’ 

24.  jano  ’yam:  Lit.  ‘this  person’;  compare  the  similar  expression 
sa  .  .  .  dasajanah  in  Vikramorvasi,  act  3,  stanza  13,  the  sentiment  in  which 
is  quite  like  this. 

25.  Stanza  2:  The  meter  is  vasantatilakd. 

26.  krtahjalih :  See  note  20,  above. 

27.  Stanza  3 :  The  meter  is  sardulavikridita. 


128 


NOTES 


28.  karne  kathayati:  In  regard  to  this  stage  direction  see  note  29 
on  Act  3,  and  cf.  Cimmino,  L’Uso  delle  didascalie,  p.  189. 

29.  distya  vardhayisyami :  Lit.  ‘  magnify  with  good  fortune,’  a  com¬ 
mon  phrase  for  ‘congratulate’;  cf.  distya  vardhase  below,  page  80,  after 
stanza  6. 

30.  durgam  .  .  .  prakara- :  On  the  different  kinds  of  fortresses  see 
Manusmrti  7.  70-76. 

31.  Stanza  4:  The  meter  is  vasantatilakd. 

32.  tadavastham  ca  tarn :  Observe  that  this  is  one  of  those  rather 
common  phrases  interjected  between  stanzas,  and  that  it.  is  to  be  con¬ 
strued  in  agreement  with  Kalingam  at  the  close  of  the  stanza  that 
follows. 

33.  -dasera- :  This  compound  has  here  been  interpreted  as  lit.  ‘  born 
slaves  of  warriors,’  cf.  vlra-kita,  lit.  ‘  a  worm  of  a  warrior,’  ‘  contemptible 
warrior.’  (See  the  note  on  Kalinga-hataka,  Act  1,  note  32.)  So  likewise 
Gadre ;  but  K.  Com.  takes  it  as  a  copulative  compound,  ‘  warriors  and 
slaves’  ( yodhdnam  bhrtydndm  ca). 

34.  Stanza  5 :  The  meter  is  sragdhara. 

35.  katham  .  .  .  Vatsardjah  sthdsyati:  Cf.  above,  page  73. 

36 . -Vijayasenah  Kahcukl  ca:  The  general  Vijayasena  here  returns 
victorious  from  the  expedition  on  which  he  was  dispatched  at  the  end 
of  Act  1.  The  Chamberlain,  Vinayavasu  (page  91),  belongs  to  the  court 
of  King  Drdhavarman,  whose  captivity  he  has  been  sharing  (see  Act  1, 
page  9). 

37.  Stanza  6 :  This  stanza  matches  in  a  way  stanza  8  of  Act  1 ;  it 
may  not  be  too  far-fetched  to  note,  in  regard  to  the  contrasting  moods, 
that  hesitation  is  appropriate  at  the  opening  of  the  play  and  confident 
joy  at  its  close. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  dry  a. 

38.  distya  vardhase :  On  the  phrase  see  note  29,  above. 

39.  ripujayind  Vijayasenena :  That  is,  Vijayasena,  ‘He  of  a  Vic¬ 
torious  Army,’  is  indeed  a  ‘vanquisher  of  the  foe.’ 

40.  Stanza  7:  The  meter  of  this  stanza  is  drya.  Observe  that  the 
variant  version  of  this  stanza  given  in  Gadre’s  text  is  metrically  de¬ 
fective. 

41.  mdtrsvasd  te :  That  is,  the  (unnamed)  wife  of  King  Drdhavar¬ 
man;  cf.  note  6,  above. 

42.  pattrikdm  anupresitavatl:  This  letter  was  naturally  entrusted  to 


ACT  FOUR 


129 


the  hand  of  the  Chamberlain,  since  he  must  have  come  directly  from 
King  Drdhavarman  (cf.  note  36,  above).  We  must  therefore  suppose 
that  Vasavadatta’s  mother,  Angaravati,  who  wrote  the  letter  (cf.  above, 
page  71),  sent  it  to  her  sister,  Drdhavarman’s  queen,  to  be  forwarded 
(observe  the  force  of  anu-  in  anupresitavati) .  The  dramatist  does  not 
explain  why  a  letter  sent  from  Ujjain  to  KausambI  should  go  by  the 
roundabout  way  of  Anga. 

43.  gurupud:  This  is  a  jocular  allusion  to  the  King’s  appearance  as 
a  music-teacher  in  the  Mimic  Play  in  Act  3. 

44.  sawabandhanamokkho :  For  instances  in  India  of  the  custom  of 
releasing  prisoners  on  a  joyful  occasion,  such  as  a  great  victory,  the 
birth  of  a  prince,  or  the  like,  see  Malavikagnimitra,  act  4,  after  stanza 
5,  and  act  5,  after  stanza  17,  ed.  in  Sri  Vani  Vilas  Skt.  Series,  pp.  107,  150; 
Mrcchakatika,  act  10,  ed.  Parab,  p.  274,  tr.  A.  W.  Ryder,  The  Little  Clay 
Cart,  p.  164. 

45.  chotikdm :  This  word,  Skt.  chotikd  (or  cotikd,  Gadre),  is  here  ren¬ 
dered  ‘snapping  the  fingers’;  see  PWb.  and  Monier- Williams,  Skt -Eng. 
Diet.,  2d  ed.,  Oxford,  1899,  which  renders  the  word  as  ‘  snapping  the  thumb 
and  forefinger  together.’  Cf.  also  Marathi  cutakt,  which  has  this  meaning 
as  well  as  that  of  ‘  pinch.’  The  rendering  adopted  is  assured  by  the  similar 
stage-direction  in  Ratn.  3,  after  stanza  9,  ed.  Godabole  and  Parab,  p.  48, 
where  snapping  the  fingers  as  a  signal  is  manifestly  referred  to. 

46.  Vdsavadattdm  apavdrya :  Gadre’s  text  adds  Vdsavadattdm  here, 
which  is  not  found  in  the  K.  text.  Regarding  the  stage  direction  apa¬ 
vdrya  see  note  30  on  Act  3. 

47.  moidd  khu :  Lit.  ‘  has  been  released  indeed.’ 

48.  [Continuing  the  message]  :  This  stage  direction  has  been  added 
in  the  translation. 

49.  na  me  sambandho  jdta :  Lit.  ‘no  alliance  of  me  [with  you]  arose.’ 

50.  parinetrd  ’ pi :  Lit.  ‘by  you  [as  being]  the  marrier  also  of  Vasa- 
vadatta.’ 

51.  kadham  me  bhdinl  paribbhatthd :  Or,  perhaps,  this  is  to  be  ren¬ 
dered,  ‘What,  has  my  cousin  disappeared?’  The  Queen  here,  as  often 
in  the  subsequent  course  of  the  act,  calls  her  cousin  bhagihl,  ‘  sister.’ 

52.  smartavyatdm  nitam :  Lit.  ‘then  this  place,  together  with  Vindh- 
yaketu,  had  been  reduced  by  some  persons  to  a  (mere)  memory  ’ — a  com¬ 
mon  phrase  expressing  utter  destruction.  For  the  substance  of  this  whole 
speech  compare  the  Chamberlain’s  narrative  in  the  Explanatory  Scene 
of  Act  1,  page  9.  ' 

53.  pdnasamsae :  Lit.  ‘  in  doubt  of  life.’  Observe  the  dramatic  effect 
of  Manorama’s  sudden  news,  which  unintentionally  catches  up  the  last 

16 


130 


NOTES 


words  of  the  Chamberlain  as  indicated  by  the  following  speech  of  the 
Queen. 

54.  Piadamsana:  This  variant  form  of  the  heroine’s  name,  and  the 
corresponding  Skt.  form  Priyadarsana,  occur  several  times  in  this  act. 

55.  naaloado  gahidcnrisavijjo:  On  the  Naga  world  and  the  King’s 
visit  to  it  cf.  note  38  on  Act  2  and  see  Introduction,  part  5. 

56.  kutas :  On  the  use  of  this  adverb  implying  negation  cf.  note  40 
on  Act  2. 

57.  svagatam :  Gadre’s  text  omits  this  stage  direction,  as  well  as 
prakdsam,  below. 

58.  gatas  ca  .  .  .  cai  ’sa :  The  two  connectives  indicate  that  the  actions 
are  simultaneous,  though  opposed. 

59.  Stanza  8:  K.  Com.  notes  in  this  stanza  the  rhetorical  figures 
visadana,  aprastutaprasamsa,  and  arthdntaranyasa.  On  visadana,  ‘  disap¬ 
pointment,’  i.e.  attainment  of  something  contrary  to  what  was  desired,  see 
Appayyadiksita,  Kuvalayanandakarika  131,  tr.  R.  Schmidt,  pp.  94-95, 
Berlin,  1907,  and  cf.  Chandorkar,  Kavyaprakasa,  Ullasa  X,  appendix,  p. 
22,  Poona,  1896.  On  aprastutaprasamsa ,  ‘  indirect  description,’  see  note  94 
on  Act  3.  On  arthantaranyasa,  1  corroboration,’  i.e.  supporting  of  a  gen¬ 
eral  statement  by  a  particular  one,  or  of  a  particular  one  by  a  general, 
through  similitude  or  contrast  of  properties,  see  KP.  pp.  804-807;  tr.  Jha, 
p.  232;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp.  87-88;  SD.  709,  cf.  ed.  Kane,  notes,  pp.  201-205. 
— The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  vasantatilakd. 

60.  nam :  Gadre’s  text  and  that  of  Vidyasagara  both  read  jam  instead 
of  nam ,  i.e.  ‘  if  the  King,’  etc.  As  the  sentence  is  incoherent  in  any  case, 
other  renderings  are  possible. 

61.  svagatam :  Gadre’s  text  omits  this  word  in  the  stage  direction;  see 
note  57,  above. 

62.  manye  ’syct  visavega:  Lit.  ‘I  think  hers  [is]  the  effect  of  the 
poison  just  indeed  altogether.’ 

63.  Stanza  9:  K.  Com.  sees  here  an  instance  of  the  rhetorical  figure 
asamgati,  *  disconnection,’  in  which  there  is  an  apparent  violation  of  the 
relation  between  cause  and  effect  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  cause  and  its 
effect  are  represented  as  locally  different  and  separated ;  see  KP.  pp. 
869-871;  tr.  Jha,  p.249;  tr.  Chandorkar,  pp.  129-131;  SD.  719,  cf.  ed.  Kane, 
notes,  pp.  231-234. — The  meter  of  the  stanza  is  sardulavikridita. 

64.  visamd  .  .  .  visassa :  Observe  the  echoing  of  the  sound  in  the 
original. 

65.  paccujjivida :  For  a  discussion  of  instances  of  bringing  persons 


ACT  FOUR 


131 

back  to  life  (after  death)  in  the  Hindu  drama,  notably  in  the  Nagananda 
and  in  Ksemisvara’s  Candakausika,  see  Jackson,  ‘  Certain  Dramatic  Ele¬ 
ments  in  Sanskrit  Plays,’  in  AJP.  19.247-250,  Baltimore,  1898;  cf.  also 
M.  Lindenau,  Bhasa-Studien ,  p.  35,  Leipzig,  1918. 

66.  narendratd :  This  word  denotes  both  ‘royalty’  and  ‘knowledge  of 
antidotes,’  as  indicated  by  the  translation. 

67.  giro  na  ’ tiznsadds :  Gadre’s  text  has  gird  nd  ’tivisadd,  with  gird  as 
nom.  sing.,  but  the  text  of  K.  is  better. 

68.  Stanza  10:  The  meter  is  sikharinx. 

69.  ajjue :  See  note  11,  above. 

70.  aggahattham :  See  note  104  on  Act  3. 

71.  davissani :  The  Jester  here  assumes  his  role  as  a  Brahman  in 
solemnizing  the  preliminaries  of  the  marriage  ceremony;  cf.  also  Kar- 
puramanjari,  4.20.13,  ed.  Konow  and  Lanman,  pp.  112,286. 

72.  ko  tumam  agenhidum :  On  the  use  of  the  infinitive  with  the 
negative  prefix  a-  see  Speijer,  Skt.  Syntax ,  §404. 

73.  tddena  iam  dinna :  See  Act  1,  Explanatory  Scene,  page  9;  Act  2, 
page  33;  Act  4,  page  83. 

74.  kirn  atah  pararn  priyam :  This  is  a  formulaic  mode  of  expression 
employed  near  the  close  of  a  drama,  and  is  technically  called  kdvyasam- 
hdra,  ‘  termination  of  the  poem,’  cf.  DR.  1.  109,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  32. 

75.  Stanza  11 :  For  the  sentiment  of  this  stanza  compare  the  stanza 
near  the  close  of  the  Ratnavali,  act  4,  stanza  21,  and  the  next  to  the  last 
stanza  in  the  Viddhasalabhanjika  (see  Gray,  JAOS.  27.68-69  and  note 
1). — The  meter  is  sardulavikndita. 

76.  bharatavakyam :  Lit.  ‘  speech  of  the  actor,’  or  of  Bharata,  the 
traditional  founder  of  dramatic  art;  it  is  technically  called  prasasti,  ‘bene¬ 
diction,’  cf.  DR.  1.  no,  ed.  and  tr.  Haas,  p.  32;  Levi,  Le  Theatre  indien, 
p.  56. 

77.  dkalpdntam :  Lit.  ‘  unto  the  end  of  a  kalpa,  or  world-cycle.’ 

78.  vajralepdh:  On  this  word  as  a  designation  of  ‘  cement,  mortar,’ 
see  PWb.  and  Monier-Williams,  Skt -Eng.  Did.,  s.v.  So  also  K.  Com.,  but 
Gadre  in  this  passage  and  the  commentators  in  the  editions  of  Ratnavali 
by  Cakravarti,  Calcutta,  1919,  and  Joglekar,  Bombay,  1913,  gloss  it  by 
kathina,  ‘stiff’  (as  the  adamantine  thunderbolt). 

79.  Stanza  12 :  This  stanza  is  identical  with  the  closing  stanza  of  the 
Ratnavali,  with  very  slight  variations  in  the  last  two  lines. — The  meter 
is  sragdhard. 


\ 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 

INDO-IRANIAN  SERIES 

Edited  by  A.  V.  WILLIAMS  JACKSON 

PROFESSOR  OF  INDO-IRANIAN  LANGUAGES  IN  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


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Ph.D.  New  York,  1913. 

Cloth ,  8vo,  xiii  -f-  214  pages,  $2.75  net. 

This  romance  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  the  artificial  and  ornate  style 
in  Sanskrit  prose.  Besides  the  translation,  the  volume  contains  also  the 
transliterated  text  of  the  South  Indian  recension,  which  differs  to  a  note¬ 
worthy  degree  from  that  of  Hall,  and  a  bibliography.  The  relation  of  the 
Sanskrit  romance  to  the  Occidental,  especially  the  Greek,  is  discussed  in  the 
introduction,  and  the  notes  include  parallels  of  incident  in  modern  Indian 
and  other  folk-tales,  as  well  as  points  of  resemblance  with  other  Sanskrit 
romances. 

Volume  9.  The  Sanskrit  Poems  of  Mayura,  edited  with  a 
Translation  and  Notes  and  an  Introduction,  together  with  the 
Text  and  Translation  of  Bana’s  Candisataka,  by  George  Payn 
Quackenbos,  A.M.,  Ph.D.,  Instructor  in  Latin  in  the  College  of 
the  City  of  New  York.  New  York,  1917. 

Cloth,  8vo,  xxii  -f-  362  pages,  ill.,  $2. go  net. 

This  volume  presents  the  works  of  a  Hindu  poet  of  the  7th  century  A.D. 
Besides  the  well-known  Suryasataka  it  includes  also  the  Mayurastaka,  printed 
for  the  first  time  from  the  unique  birch-bark  manuscript  in  the  Tubingen 
University  Library,  and  the  anthology  stanzas  attributed  to  Mayura.  The 
introduction  gives  an  account  of  Mayura’s  life  and  works  and  discusses  the 
question  of  the  supposedly  rival  poem  of  Bana,  which  is  added  to  the  volume 
in  text  and  translation. 

Volume  10.  Priyadarsika,  a  Sanskrit  Drama  by  Harsha,  King 
of  Northern  India  in  the  Seventh  Century  A.D.,  translated  into 
English  by  G.  K.  Nariman,  A.  V.  Williams  Jackson,  and 
Charles  J.  Ogden,  Ph.D.,  with  an  Introduction  and  Notes  by  the 
two  latter,  together  with  the  Text  in  Transliteration.  New  York, 
1923. 

Cloth,  8vo,  cxi  +  137  pages,  ill.,  $2.25  net. 

This  romantic  drama  on  the  adventures  of  a  lost  princess  is  now  published 
for  the  first  time  in  English  translation,  and  the  text  has  been  reproduced 
in  transliteration  on  the  pages  opposite,  in  order  to  aid  students  in  rapid 


136 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 


reading.  An  extensive  introduction  in  ten  parts  deals  with  Harsha  as  king 
and  as  author,  with  the  legend  of  Udayana,  and  with  other  literary  and 
linguistic  aspects  of  the  play.  Copious  notes  are  appended  for  the  discussion 
of  individual  points  and  the  elucidation  of  the  text.  A  reproduction  of  a 
copper-plate  grant  containing  Harsha’s  autograph  signature  is  included  as 
a  frontispiece. 


IN  PREPARATION 

Studies  in  Zoroastrianism  and  Manichaeism,  with  Special 
Reference  to  the  Turfan  Fragments,  by  A.  V.  Williams  Jackson. 

This  volume  will  contain  special  essays  and  researches,  particularly  in 
connection  with  translations  of  Turfan  Manichaean  texts  and  other  docu¬ 
ments.  A  number  of  chapters  will  deal  with  aspects  of  the  Zoroastrian 
religion  with  particular  reference  to  the  Turfan  Fragments.  At  the  request 
of  several  former  students,  a  bibliography  of  the  author’s  writings,  compiled 
by  one  of  them,  will  be  included  in  the  volume. 


VOLUME  ON  ZOROASTER 

The  following  volume,  not  in  the  Indo-Iranian  Series,  is  also 
published  by  the  Columbia  University  Press  : 

Zoroaster,  the  Prophet  of  Ancient  Iran,  by  A.  V.  Williams 
Jackson.  New  York,  1899. 

Cloth ,  8vo,  xxiii  +  314  pages ,  ill.,  $5.00  net. 

This  work  aims  to  collect  in  one  volume  all  that  is  known  about  the  great 
Iranian  prophet.  The  story  of  the  life  and  ministry  of  Zoroaster  is  told  in 
twelve  chapters,  and  these  are  followed  by  appendixes  on  explanations  of 
Zoroaster’s  name,  the  date  of  the  Prophet,  Zoroastrian  chronology,  Zoro¬ 
aster’s  native  place  and  the  scene  of  his  ministry,  and  classical  and  other 
passages  mentioning  his  name.  A  map  and  three  illustrations  accompany 
the  volume. 


WORKS  ON  AVESTAN 

by  Professor  A.  V.  Williams  Jackson 

The  following  publications  on  Avestan  may  now  be  obtained  in 
America  from  the  Columbia  University  Press : — 

An  Avesta  Grammar  in  Comparison  with  Sanskrit.  Part  I : 
Phonology,  Inflection,  Word-formation,  with  an  Introduction  on 


KINDRED  WORKS 


137 


the  Avesta.  Stuttgart,  1892.  (Anastatic  reprint.) 

Cloth,  8vo,  xlviii  +  273  pages,  $2.50  net. 

This  work  is  a  systematic  presentation  of  the  sounds  and  forms  of  the 
language  of  the  Avesta.  The  variations  between  the  older  (Gathic)  and  the 
younger  form  of  the  language  are  emphasized,  and  in  the  entire  treatment 
the  parallels  with  Vedic  Sanskrit  are  kept  in  view.  (Part  II,  dealing  with 
the  syntax,  has  never  been  published.) 

Avesta  Reader.  First  Series  :  Easier  Texts,  Notes,  and  Vocab¬ 
ulary.  Stuttgart,  1893.  (Anastatic  reprint.) 

Cloth,  8vo,  viii  -j-  112  pages,  $1.60  net. 

This  book  provides  suitable  material  for  reading  after  the  rudiments  of 
the  language  have  been  mastered.  The  selections  are  of  progressive  diffi¬ 
culty  and  are  chosen  from  various  parts  of  the  Avestan  texts.  Constant 
reference  is  made,  in  the  notes,  to  the  author’s  Avesta  Grammar. 

A  Hymn  of  Zoroaster:  Yasna  31,  translated  with  Comments. 
Stuttgart,  1888. 

Paper,  8vo,  viii  -j-  62  pages. 

The  text  in  Avestan  characters  and  an  English  version  of  this  Gathic 
hymn  are  given  on  opposite  pages,  followed  by  the  transliterated  text  and 
explanatory  notes. 

The  Avestan  Alphabet  and  its  Transcription.  With  Appen¬ 
dices.  Stuttgart,  1890. 

Paper,  8vo,  3d  pages. 

A  discussion  of  the  problem  of  the  transliteration  of  the  Avestan  char¬ 
acters,  with  conclusions  regarding  the  most  satisfactory  solution.  Practical 
suggestions  for  printers  are  included. 


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PK2971.C72v.10 

Priyadarsika  :  a  Sanskrit  drama  /  by 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


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